Intensifying humanitarian crisis in North Darfur, Sudan: Cholera and food shortages worsen the situation
Crisis in El Fasher, North Darfur, Sudan: A Humanitarian Emergency of Unprecedented Proportions
The city of El Fasher in North Darfur, Sudan is currently experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in and around the city since April 2024. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have besieged the city, cutting off all trade routes and supply lines, preventing humanitarian organizations from delivering lifesaving aid for over a year.
The blockade has led to a worsening famine confirmed since August 2024 in IDP camps near El Fasher. Starvation and deaths due to malnutrition have become common, and cholera outbreaks and widespread disease have further exacerbated the crisis.
The situation is dire due to repeated attacks on civilians, including IDP camps like Abu Shouk, where at least 40 civilians were killed in recent assaults. These attacks also include killings of civilians trying to flee the city, destruction of markets and hospitals, and reports of conflict-related sexual violence, particularly against women and girls. Large-scale violations of international humanitarian law have been reported, including over 1,500 civilians killed in the Zamzam IDP camp in April 2025. The International Criminal Court’s Office of the Prosecutor has stated there are reasonable grounds to believe war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed.
Regarding humanitarian assistance, the blockade has severely restricted aid delivery. The World Food Programme (WFP) has not been able to deliver food by road to El Fasher for over a year but provides digital cash support to about 250,000 people to buy limited available food. However, this is insufficient given the scale of need. Humanitarian organizations call for safe, unimpeded access and a humanitarian pause so that aid such as food, water, and medical supplies can reach the trapped population. The UN and other agencies emphasize the urgent need for safe evacuation routes and protection of civilians under international law.
World Hunger Relief (WHH), a large private aid organization in Germany, has been operating in Sudan since 1998 and is one of the few organizations still operating in 12 of North Darfur's 18 districts. The focus of WHH's projects in Sudan is on food security, water supply, health, agriculture, and emergency support. WHH is currently implementing 19 projects in Sudan with local partner organizations. Local markets in El Fasher have largely collapsed, and staple foods are scarcely available or unaffordable. Nine million people in Darfur are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
In El Fasher, approximately 300,000 people have been trapped for over a year without access to food, drinking water, or medical assistance. Conditions in IDP camps such as Zamzam, Abushouk, and Al-Salam, as well as in cities like El Fasher, Mellit, and Kutum, are particularly critical. Many families in El Fasher are going hungry, and children and elderly people are showing visible signs of malnutrition.
Mathias Mogge, Secretary General of WHH, emphasizes the critical situation in Sudan and urges Germany to increase its humanitarian aid budget to support the people in need. WHH staff in North Darfur are undergoing enormous risk to distribute drinking water, hygiene kits, and organize cash assistance for vulnerable families.
The crisis in El Fasher, North Darfur, Sudan remains one of the most acute humanitarian emergencies globally, with dire needs for urgent international attention and action to alleviate civilian suffering.
