El Fasher, the capital of Sudan&rsquo;s North Darfur, has become a city of despair for children, with the United Nations warning that it is now the epicenter of suffering after more than 500 days under siege.
Humanitarian agencies say nearly 260,000 civilians, half of them children, remain trapped inside the city, cut off from aid for over 16 months. Malnutrition, disease, and relentless violence are claiming lives every single day.
UNICEF reports that over 10,000 children have been treated for severe acute malnutrition since January, almost double the cases recorded last year. In one harrowing week, at least 63 people, mostly women and children, died from starvation.
&ldquo;The siege has completely severed supply lines. Health facilities and mobile nutrition teams have been forced to suspend services as supplies run out,&rdquo; UNICEF said, warning that around 6,000 children with acute malnutrition are currently without treatment.
The blockade, enforced by the Rapid Support Forces militia, has not only starved the city but also fueled the spread of cholera in North Darfur. UN humanitarian officials said medical aid, water, and sanitation support helped contain some outbreaks, &ldquo;but new cases are emerging in remote communities where access to health care is extremely limited.&rdquo;
Since the start of the siege in April 2024, more than 1,100 grave violations against children have been verified in El Fasher alone, including the killing and maiming of over 1,000 children. Aid workers warn that the real figures could be far higher due to restricted access and verification challenges.
The UN has called for immediate humanitarian access, stressing that the prolonged siege has turned El Fasher into a humanitarian catastrophe.

El Fasher: Children Trapped in 500-Day Siege

UN warns El Fasher has become ground zero of child suffering in Sudan’s conflict

El Fasher: Children Trapped in 500-Day Siege

UN warns El Fasher has become ground zero of child suffering in Sudan’s conflict

August 28, 2025 | 10:37 IST