Khartoum:
A global hunger monitor on Monday confirmed famine conditions in Al-Fashir, a major city in Sudan’s North Darfur region captured by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after an 18-month siege, and in Kadugli, capital of South Kordofan.
This marks the first time the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has declared full-scale famine in urban areas of Sudan. In December 2024, the IPC had only confirmed famine in displacement camps around Al-Fashir.
The findings highlight the deepening humanitarian catastrophe resulting from Sudan’s brutal two-and-a-half-year civil war between the RSF and the Sudanese army, which has displaced millions and caused widespread hunger and malnutrition.
How the Conflict Sparked a Humanitarian Collapse
The war, which began in April 2023, has triggered waves of ethnically charged violence, particularly in Darfur, while pushing vast regions into acute food insecurity.
The IPC’s famine declaration is based on its standardized framework for classifying food crises globally — and carries serious implications for international humanitarian response.
However, the Sudanese government, backed by the army, has criticized the IPC findings, claiming they undermine its authority and exaggerate the crisis.
Starvation During Al-Fashir Siege
According to witnesses, Al-Fashir was encircled and relentlessly attacked by RSF forces for nearly 18 months before finally falling late last month.
During the siege:
- Food and humanitarian supplies were cut off completely.
- Residents reportedly survived on animal feed and hides.
- Community kitchens — where residents gathered for shared meals — were targeted by drone strikes.
“Every child arriving in Tawila, after escaping Al-Fashir, was malnourished,” said Sylvain Pennicaud, project coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). “Adults were visibly emaciated.”
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has begun collecting evidence of mass killings and rapes following the city’s fall. The Red Cross has warned that “history is repeating itself” in Darfur — a grim reference to the genocide two decades ago.
Famine Expands Beyond Al-Fashir
The latest IPC analysis (September 2025) also warns that surrounding towns — Tawila, Mellit, and Tawisha — are at high risk of famine, as they struggle to host thousands of displaced residents fleeing Al-Fashir.
While the overall number of Sudanese facing acute food insecurity fell slightly to 21.2 million (45% of the population) — due to relative stabilization in central Sudan — the situation in Darfur and Kordofan has sharply worsened.
The IPC report attributes this to:
- Intensified fighting and displacement.
- Loss of livelihoods.
- Escalating food prices.
- Restricted humanitarian access caused by bureaucracy and funding cuts.
Kadugli and Kordofan Under Siege
In Kadugli, capital of South Kordofan, famine conditions have been fueled by a siege imposed by the SPLM-N armed group, which is aligned with the RSF. Hunger there has been spreading steadily since the conflict began.
The Kordofan region has become a new epicenter of the war, strategically positioned between RSF-controlled Darfur and army-held central Sudan.
The IPC report notes that Al-Dalanj, another Kordofan city, could also be in famine, but the lack of reliable data prevented a formal declaration.
Tragically, on Monday, a Red Crescent official confirmed that three volunteers in North Kordofan — seen being beaten in a viral video after the RSF seized the city — were later found killed. The RSF has denied responsibility for their deaths.
A Deepening Humanitarian Crisis
The famine declarations come amid global aid shortages and bureaucratic restrictions that have hampered relief operations by the UN, World Food Programme, and international NGOs.
With 45% of Sudan’s population facing acute hunger and famine spreading to multiple cities, humanitarian agencies are warning that the window to prevent mass starvation is closing fast.
As the war continues to fragment Sudan, the crisis in Al-Fashir and Kadugli stands as a stark reminder of how political and military ambitions are driving millions to the brink of starvation.