The leading expert on food crises worldwide has identified famine in two regions of conflict-ridden Sudan, particularly in El Fasher, where paramilitary groups are reportedly carrying out mass killings. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released a report on Monday, confirming the occurrence of famine in El Fasher and Kadugli, cities located in the Darfur region and South Kordofan province, respectively. According to the IPC, these areas have experienced a complete collapse of livelihoods, severe malnutrition, starvation, and death.
Additionally, twenty other regions in Darfur and South Kordofan, where the intensity of conflicts has escalated in recent months, are also facing the risk of famine. El Fasher has been blockaded by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for 18 months, resulting in the isolation of tens of thousands of residents from essential supplies. Following the recent capture of the city by the RSF, reports and videos have emerged detailing atrocities against civilians, including beatings, killings, and sexual assaults.
Kadugli has similarly been under siege by the RSF for an extended period, with a significant population trapped within. The World Food Program confirmed in April that famine had been declared in 10 regions based on IPC data. Since the conflict erupted in April 2023 between the military and RSF in Sudan, over 40,000 individuals have lost their lives, with aid organizations suggesting this figure could be substantially higher. The ongoing war has forced more than 14 million people to flee their homes, leading to disease outbreaks and pushing parts of the country into famine.
Efforts are being made to establish a humanitarian truce in Sudan, with U.S. envoys engaging with both conflicting parties. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court is working to preserve evidence from the recent violent incidents in Darfur. The IPC’s report highlighted that approximately 375,000 individuals in Darfur and South Kordofan have been thrust into famine as of September, with an additional 6.3 million people across Sudan facing critical levels of food insecurity.
The situation in Dilling, a town in South Kordofan, mirrors that of Kadugli, but the IPC refrained from declaring famine due to insufficient data. The RSF’s focus has shifted towards consolidating control over the Darfur region and South Kordofan since reclaiming the capital Khartoum earlier this year.
Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), expressed concerns about the thousands of civilians still trapped in El Fasher without access to essential supplies. The IPC has warned that neighboring towns such as Tawila, Melit, and Tawisha are also at risk of famine, emphasizing the urgent need for a ceasefire to prevent further loss of life and contain the escalating levels of food insecurity and malnutrition.
