By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
In Sudan’s besieged city of El-Fasher, 63 people, mostly women and children, have died from malnutrition in just one week, as ongoing fighting between the army and the RSF escalates. A senior health official from North Darfur’s health ministry, speaking anonymously, confirmed that this death toll only includes those who reached hospitals, noting that many others were buried without medical help due to poor security and a lack of transportation.
El-Fasher, the last major urban center in Darfur still under army control, has been under siege by the RSF since May 2023. With the RSF intensifying attacks, the situation in the city has deteriorated rapidly. “Six months ago, we served two meals daily, but now, due to shortages, only one meal is provided,” said Magdi Youssef, manager of the largest community kitchen in El-Fasher. “A plate once shared by three people is now eaten by seven.”
The UN reports that 40% of children under five in El-Fasher are acutely malnourished, with many showing severe signs of hunger. “Most cases are severely malnourished, and medical supplies to treat them are dangerously low,” a pediatrician at El-Fasher Hospital said.
With humanitarian access restricted due to security concerns and worsening infrastructure, the World Food Programme has warned that thousands of families are at risk of starvation. “We are on the verge of irreversible damage to an entire generation of children,” said UNICEF’s Sheldon Yett, urging for immediate action to prevent further catastrophe.
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