Residents fleeing the besieged Sudanese city of al-Fashir have painted a harrowing picture of life under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), describing constant shelling, hunger, and violent abuses as the paramilitary group tightens its grip on North Darfur’s capital.
Those able to escape, often after paying hefty sums, say people inside the city are surviving on animal feed amid soaring food prices. A bowl of millet now costs more than $35, while sugar sells for nearly $20 a pound. One resident told Reuters that even ambaz, a type of animal fodder most people have resorted to, has become scarce after its price rose six-fold.
Last week, a United Nations fact-finding mission concluded the RSF had committed crimes against humanity in al-Fashir, accusing the group of using starvation as a weapon of war, destroying hospitals, and obstructing humanitarian aid. U.N. Women also reported widespread sexual violence, saying rape had been deployed systematically as a weapon of war in North Darfur.
“The situation is disastrous, there’s shelling 24 hours a day from all directions,” said escapee Ahmed Haj Ali, who fled to al-Dabba with his family. “People are dying by the dozens, and hospitals are packed but have no supplies.” Others described being robbed and beaten at RSF checkpoints while trying to leave the city.
The siege has already displaced nearly 500,000 people since fighting escalated in May 2024, while an estimated 270,000 remain trapped, according to the U.N. The RSF has reinforced berms surrounding al-Fashir, making escape nearly impossible except for those who can pay smugglers.
The Sudanese army, backed by allied non-Arab tribal forces, continues to defend the city. Recent drone strikes have pushed the RSF back from military headquarters, and on Sunday, the army launched a fresh offensive in North Kordofan in a bid to break the siege.
Despite these efforts, those still inside al-Fashir face mass hunger, insecurity, and worsening violence. “Leaving is dangerous and humiliating,” Ali said, recalling how he was beaten at a checkpoint. “But those left behind are starving. We escaped, but they remain.”
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
