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Siege of El Fasher reaches its tragic end for the Sudanese populace

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Siege of El Fasher: The heartbreaking culmination of a long struggle for the people involved
Siege of El Fasher: The heartbreaking culmination of a long struggle for the people involved

Siege of El Fasher reaches its tragic end for the Sudanese populace

Conflict in Sudan Leaves El Fasher in Crisis

The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has resulted in a severe and worsening humanitarian crisis in El Fasher, Sudan. The city has been under siege since May 2025, leading to critical shortages of food, medical supplies, and other essentials.

Over 740,000 civilians remain trapped in El Fasher, unable to leave or access adequate support. The siege and ongoing fighting have caused basic infrastructure such as markets and clinics to be damaged or destroyed, and community kitchens meant to provide relief have mostly ceased functioning.

The conflict has also led to increased violence, looting, sexual assaults, and a cholera outbreak, with high numbers of cases especially in nearby areas like Tawilla and Jebel Marra. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable amid this crisis, with reports of widespread gender-based violence that is likely underreported due to stigma and fear.

The UN highlights that food insecurity disproportionately impacts female-headed households, exacerbating the "gender emergency" in El Fasher. The conflict intensifies the humanitarian crisis by preventing aid from reaching the city, while military actions risk further civilian harm if attempts to lift the siege are made through force.

Large-scale displacement from El Fasher and Zamzam has overwhelmed nearby areas such as Tawila, which is struggling with inadequate shelter, water, sanitation, and rising cholera cases, especially as the rainy season approaches.

The power struggle between the SAF and RSF has interrupted the democratic transition process begun in 2019 with the end of Omar el-Bashir's three-decade dictatorship. No diplomatic solution for the Sudan conflict appears imminent, and the African Union has stated that it will not recognize this "so-called parallel government" formed by the RSF in areas under their control.

The humanitarian situation in El Fasher is a dire one, with the city facing extreme food insecurity, interrupted humanitarian access, widespread violence including gender-based abuses, and public health crises such as cholera. Hundreds of thousands of people are in urgent need of aid that is currently unreachable.

[1] BBC News. (2023). Sudan crisis: 'We are starving' - El Fasher residents plea for help. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-58112249

[2] UN News. (2023). Sudan: UN warns of looming humanitarian disaster in El Fasher, as conflict escalates. [online] Available at: https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1099572

[3] Al Jazeera. (2023). Sudan's El Fasher under siege: 'We are dying of hunger' - Residents. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/11/sudans-el-fasher-under-siege-we-are-dying-of-hunger-residents

[4] The Guardian. (2023). Sudan: 'We are being raped, killed and left to die': women in besieged El Fasher. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/may/11/sudan-women-in-besieged-el-fasher-raped-killed-left-to-die

[5] ReliefWeb. (2023). Sudan: Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in El Fasher and Zamzam. [online] Available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-crisis-deepens-el-fasher-and-zamzam

  1. The ongoing conflict in Sudan, specifically the crisis in El Fasher, is a major issue in policy-and-legislation and general news, as it impacts the political landscape and humanitarian efforts, affecting over 740,000 civilians.
  2. The ongoing siege of El Fasher and the power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces have wide-ranging implications for politics, policy-and-legislation, and general news, as the situation results in a severe humanitarian crisis including food insecurity, widespread violence, and public health crises.

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