The Silent Suffering: El-Fasher’s Civilians Face Harrowing Hunger Amid War

In Sudan's el-Fasher, civilians endure unimaginable suffering as starvation and cholera sweep through the city. With food prices skyrocketing and medical resources depleted, women at a communal kitchen voice their anguish as children perish. This comprehensive report sheds light on the urgent need for humanitarian aid and the desperate conditions faced by the population amid ongoing conflict.

The women at the community kitchen in the besieged Sudanese city of el-Fasher are sitting in huddles of desperation. "Our children are dying before our eyes," one of them tells the BBC. "We don't know what to do. They are innocent. They have nothing to do with the army or the Rapid Support Forces. Our suffering is worse than what you can imagine." Food is so scarce in el-Fasher that prices have soared to the point where money that used to cover a week's worth of meals can now buy only one. International aid organizations have condemned the "calculated use of starvation as a weapon of war."

Compounding the hunger crisis is a cholera outbreak sweeping through the squalid camps housing those displaced by fighting. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that Sudan is experiencing its worst cholera outbreak in years, exacerbated by ongoing civil strife, with nearly 100,000 cases and over 2,470 deaths reported in the last year alone, particularly near el-Fasher.

The BBC has obtained rare footage of people still trapped in the city, sent by a local activist and filmed by a freelance cameraman. The Sudanese army has been engaged in combat with the RSF for over two years, following their joint coup that led to a power struggle. In Darfur, el-Fasher represents one of the most brutal battlegrounds. The RSF, having tightened their blockade after losing control of Khartoum, intensified attacks on el-Fasher, the last stronghold of the army in the region, deteriorating conditions further.

At the Matbakh-al-Khair communal kitchen in el-Fasher, volunteers have resorted to using ambaz, the residue from peanut oil extraction, to make porridge, as traditional staples like flour have become unavailable. The kitchen manager laments, "Now we've reached the point of eating ambaz. May God relieve us of this calamity; there's nothing left in the market to buy."

The United Nations is calling for a humanitarian pause to allow food convoys into the city, while RSF advisers argue that a truce would facilitate aid delivery to the army. However, they deny allegations of targeting civilians, suggesting that local armed groups are using them as shields. Amid these claims, residents strive to survive amidst constant bombardments, with local responders struggling to secure limited emergency cash.

Reports highlight the dire inability of hospitals to cope with the crisis. Many facilities are damaged, lacking supplies for both malnourished patients and those injured in attacks. Pediatrician Dr. Ibrahim Abdullah Khater shares the grim reality: "We have many malnourished children admitted to the hospital, but unfortunately, there is no single sachet of therapeutic food." He emphasizes that children are dying daily due to lack of food and medical care with little international intervention.

A collective statement from NGOs this week addresses the alarming use of sustained attacks and obstacles to aid as a systematic strategy to break the civilian population. Many residents attempted to flee recent hostilities, only to face violence and extortion from armed groups along their journey.

Conditions in displacement camps, while safer, expose thousands to cholera due to unsanitary water sources and collapsed infrastructure. In Tawila, where aid access is possible, shortages remain critical. Project coordinator John Joseph Ocheibi describes the challenges: "We are mobilizing resources to respond despite limited supplies."

Among the displaced, Zubaida Ismail Ishaq’s heartbreaking story encapsulates the trauma of many. Seven months pregnant and with a history of fleeing violence, she recalls dire water conditions leading to her family's cholera infection.

As el-Fasher’s civilians rally for assistance, one woman cries out, "We're exhausted. We want this siege lifted; even if they airdrop food, airdrop anything - we're completely exhausted." The situation remains dire, warranting urgent international attention to relieve the suffering in this war-torn region.