El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has been the scene of increasing disorder over the past year. A relentless bombardment and prolonged siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has all but cut the city off from the outside world. The town has become a hell on earth. A humanitarian crisis has since developed, with countless thousands dead or injured and even more without homes. The need is urgent. It has since become a key front in Sudan’s destructive civil war that erupted two years ago.
Over the past year, El-Fasher has seen a series of horrific ethnic massacres. Consequently, international monitors have deemed these actions genocidal. Since then, the RSF has taken over most of the city. Armed fighters patrol the streets in military vehicles, creating a climate of fear and uncertainty that permeates everyday life. Manahel, a resident of El-Fasher and passionate photographer, wrote to us about the changed reality, “This city has become a scary place.”
The humanitarian impact of the siege is nothing short of staggering. The military has since completely lost control, creating conditions that make it nearly impossible for journalists to gain access. This unrelenting onslaught has scarred the population, leaving El-Fasher a ghost town. Thousands of homes and neighborhoods now lie in ruins, and access to food, water, medical care, and other basic necessities has become a dire challenge. Hundreds of thousands of people have since abandoned El-Fasher, seeking refuge in displacement camps across the border in Chad.
Mostafa, a local activist and resident, described the destruction wrought on their neighborhood. “We are experiencing daily and nightly constant artillery bombardment by the RSF,” he said. He further lamented the destruction of their homes: “Everything was turned upside down. Nearly every home in our community was stripped bare.” He emphasized the pervasive threat that looms over El-Fasher: “There is no safe place in El-Fasher. It’s unacceptable that even refugee camps, where the most vulnerable stay, are shelled down with artillery shells.”
As she contends with the intense violence, El-Fasher is grappling with a burgeoning refugee crisis as fearful residents pour in to neighboring communities. Community kitchens, funded by donations primarily from Sudanese expatriates, have turned into essential lifelines for those remaining in the city. They are directly engaged in fighting the acute hunger in people that millions are suffering. Yet these efforts are constantly being threatened as violence continues.
The difficulties endured by the people of El-Fasher are intensified by the absence of credible, on-the-ground reporting. Since the war started, access to the city has become virtually impossible. Few journalists have dared to face the hazards of doing their work in such a battleground. As a result, first-person testimonies and unofficial investigations into reported murders, kidnappings and sexual assault are hard to find.
Tijani Karshoum, an influential figure in the region, commented on the need for accountability: “Accusations of killings, abductions, or rape must be addressed through an independent investigation.” His surface level take aspires to a more healthy, calm place, even in the discord. He just expressed the hope that one day there would be no violence. We have opened a collective chapter of peace and coexistence, living beyond the resentments and hostility of yesterday,” he said adding.
As these conditions continue to deteriorate, the unfolding personal stories of those caught in the crossfire bring home the human cost of this senseless conflict. Hafiza shared her grief over losing loved ones to violence: “She left no last words. She was dead when she was carried away.” Her experiences underscore the tragic reality faced by many families who have lost everything amidst this ongoing crisis.
“Death can come by a bullet, by the shelling, it can come by hunger or by thirst,” Mostafa said, emphasizing a pervasive fear that now surrounds El-Fasher.
As El-Fasher continues to bear the brunt of Sudan’s civil war, its residents endure daily struggles against violence and deprivation. The international community can and should do much more to address this self-inflicted humanitarian crisis. This latest crisis comes on the heels of humanitarian disaster brought about by ongoing conflict.
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