At least 63 civilians have died of malnutrition in the past week in the city of El Fasher, according to local health officials and camp coordinators, as food shortages and soaring prices push the population toward famine. The deaths occurred in and around the Abu Shouk displacement camp, where humanitarian services have collapsed under siege conditions.

The city, home to over 500,000 residents and displaced persons, has been encircled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for more than 18 months, cutting off access to food, medicine, and humanitarian aid. The World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed it has been unable to deliver supplies to El Fasher for over a year due to active hostilities and road blockades.

“The crisis has moved beyond the alert phase. It is now a full-scale humanitarian tragedy,” said Mohamed Adam, spokesperson for Abu Shouk camp. “Children, women, and the elderly are dying of hunger. Emaciated bodies and extreme weight loss have become part of daily life.”

Local sources report that the price of a 50-kilogram sack of flour has surged to 11 million Sudanese pounds, equivalent to $3,700 USD, making basic food items inaccessible for most families. Community kitchens have shut down across multiple camps, and residents are resorting to foraging and consuming animal feed to survive.

Emergency medical teams in El Fasher warn of a “crisis without precedent,” citing the collapse of nutrition programs and the absence of functioning health infrastructure. The city’s hospitals are overwhelmed, and fuel shortages have rendered ambulances and generators inoperable.

WFP spokesperson Leni Kinzli described the situation as “catastrophic,” noting that the population is “on the brink of starvation.” She emphasized that humanitarian convoys are ready but require security guarantees to enter the city safely.

The United Nations previously declared famine conditions in nearby camps such as Zamzam, and warned that El Fasher could face similar classification by May. However, formal famine declaration remains pending due to the lack of reliable data, as insecurity prevents humanitarian agencies from conducting field assessments.

The Sudanese government has accused foreign actors, including the United Arab Emirates, of financing mercenary forces involved in the siege, further complicating diplomatic efforts to secure humanitarian corridors.

Humanitarian organizations continue to call for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted access to El Fasher, warning that without urgent intervention, the death toll will rise exponentially in the coming weeks.

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