UN Confirms Famine in Sudan's Al-Fasher and Kadugli Amid Prolonged Conflict

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has confirmed famine conditions in the Sudanese cities of Al-Fasher and Kadugli amid ongoing conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army. The war, which began in 2023, has led to severe hunger, malnutrition, mass displacement, and ethnically charged violence, especially in Darfur and Kordofan regions. Al-Fasher was besieged for about 18 months before falling to the RSF, with residents forced to eat animal feed and hides due to food shortages, and community meal sites targeted by drone attacks. The IPC reports that over 21 million people in Sudan face acute food insecurity, with at least 375,000 in catastrophic conditions, while humanitarian access remains severely restricted due to blockades and looting. The crisis has drawn international concern, with agencies warning of a silent famine and the International Criminal Court investigating alleged war crimes in the region. Despite some stabilization in central Sudan, the situation in Darfur and Kordofan continues to deteriorate, exacerbated by aid cuts and bureaucratic hurdles impeding relief efforts.