Malnutrition Claims 63 Lives in Besieged Sudan’s El-Fasher in One Week

At least 63 people, most of them women and children, have died from malnutrition within a single week in Sudan’s war-torn city of El-Fasher, according to a senior North Darfur health official.

The official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the figure only accounts for those who reached medical facilities, warning that the real toll could be far higher.

Many families are burying their loved ones without seeking medical help due to insecurity and a lack of transportation.

Since May 2024, El-Fasher the capital of North Darfur has been under siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been locked in a brutal conflict with Sudan’s regular army since April 2023.

The city is the last major urban centre in Darfur still under army control, making it a critical battleground in the ongoing war.

The humanitarian situation has deteriorated sharply in recent months as RSF forces have intensified their assault on the city.

In April, a major offensive targeted the nearby Zamzam displacement camp, forcing tens of thousands to flee once again. Many of those displaced are now crowded into El-Fasher, straining already scarce food supplies and overwhelming the city’s fragile healthcare system.

Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that famine looms in Sudan, with the UN describing Darfur as one of the world’s most desperate humanitarian crises.

The blockade has cut off vital food and medical deliveries, while constant fighting has left residents trapped and unable to cultivate or trade.

Local medics say the combination of hunger, disease, and violence is creating “catastrophic” conditions. Without urgent international intervention, health officials fear the death toll will continue to rise dramatically in the coming weeks.