The Sudan Doctors Network documented 239 child fatalities from malnutrition and lack of medicine between January and June in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state. Many of the youngest victims succumbed to severe hunger as food prices soared and health facilities ran dry.

Siege and Supply Blockades

El Fasher has been under siege by the Rapid Support Forces for more than a year, during which key nutrition warehouses have been repeatedly attacked and convoys turned back. Aid organizations report an “almost total absence” of essentials inside the city and surrounding camps.

Ceasefire Approved, Aid Hopes

On Friday, Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan endorsed a seven-day humanitarian ceasefire in El Fasher following a call from UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The council statement gave no start date, and the RSF has yet to comment on the proposal.

Urgent Appeal for Corridors

The Doctors Network issued an urgent plea for regional and international actors to pressure the RSF to accept the UN truce and immediately open humanitarian corridors. “Immediate action is needed to deliver emergency aid and lift the siege,” its statement said.

Fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF has engulfed El Fasher since May 10 despite repeated international warnings. The city serves as the main hub for Darfur’s humanitarian operations, which have been crippled by the blockade and relentless clashes since April 2023.