The count of Sudanese individuals venturing out of the surrounded urban center of El Fasher in North Darfur is on the rise due to escalated assaults by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the regional capital, as reported by aid organizations, including Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).
Romain Madjissembaye, the MSF project manager in Tawila, stated, “The figures have been steadily increasing from mid-August until now.” Tawila, situated approximately 60 kilometers west of El Fasher, has emerged as a significant location for the displaced persons.
Last week, around 90 individuals arrived in critical conditions, with many suffering from malnutrition and facing threats of executions and gunshots along the way, Madjissembaye disclosed during a Zoom interview with CBC News.
According to UN agencies, an estimated 260,000 civilians, including 130,000 children, are trapped in El Fasher. Surrounded by RSF militias on three sides, the city has endured over 500 days of blockade, devoid of essential supplies such as food, medication, and safe exit routes.
There are reports indicating that some individuals are resorting to consuming animal feed to sustain themselves.
MSF withdrew from El Fasher in August 2024, shortly after the siege began in May, as it was one of the few areas not under RSF control in Darfur.
Describing the challenging circumstances, Madjissembaye mentioned, “The situation became extremely precarious. We encountered several security threats, bombings, and our team, along with the patients, felt unsafe.”
Human rights organizations are sounding the alarm after a drone attack on a mosque killed at least 70 people in the besieged city of El Fasher in Sudan’s North Darfur region, according to aid workers and the Sudanese army.
Utilization of Mosquito Nets for Medical Purposes
They now collect information from those who manage to reach Tawila from El Fasher about the prevailing conditions inside the city.
A man who arrived last month with gunshot wounds shared with MSF that doctors at El Fasher’s remaining hospital were using mosquito nets for wound dressings.
Additionally, another individual described dire conditions at the hospital, noting the presence of patients with gunshot wounds requiring amputations due to scarcity of medical staff and medicine.
