The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said its latest analysis found both cities meeting the technical threshold for famine. Al-Fashir, which was captured late last month after an extended siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), had already faced severe hunger, with residents reportedly surviving on animal feed and hides.
Medical aid groups said many of those who fled to nearby towns such as Tawila arrived malnourished. The IPC also warned that other nearby areas, including Mellit and Tawisha, are at risk of famine if conditions persist.
The nearly three-year conflict between Sudan’s army and RSF has displaced millions and destroyed livelihoods across the Darfur and Kordofan regions. Despite a slight decline in the overall number of people facing acute food insecurity to 21.2 million, nearly half of Sudan’s population remains in crisis.
Aid agencies continue to face major challenges in reaching affected communities due to fighting, bureaucracy, and funding shortages, worsening the humanitarian disaster.