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The Guardian World1 min read
Families forced into displacement by famine in Sudan
TL;DR
Families in Sudan are facing severe displacement due to famine and violence, particularly in el-Fasher, where the RSF paramilitary group has taken control. Many have fled to Omdurman, finding inadequate shelter and little food.
Key points
- Families are displaced due to famine and violence in Sudan.
- The RSF has taken control of el-Fasher, leading to severe food shortages.
- A famine was declared in November by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.
- Displaced families in Omdurman face inadequate living conditions.
Mentioned in this story
Sudanel-FasherRapid Support ForcesSudanese armed forces
Omdurman, Sudan – When Marasi Alfadil arrived in Omdurman with her children, there was almost nothing waiting for them.
The family eventually found a half-finished building inside a compound to live in. There are no proper walls, no services and little food. But for Marasi, it is still safer than the city she fled.
Six months ago, she escaped el-Fasher in North Darfur, just days before fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group took full control after an 18-month siege of the western city, which at the time was controlled by the group’s opponents in Sudan’s three-year civil war, the Sudanese armed forces (SAF). Thousands of people were killed during the RSF takeover, which a United Nations investigation found bore the “hallmarks of genocide”.
“The siege made life hard,” she told Al Jazeera. “Goods could not come in. Anyone who tried to bring food was detained or killed.”
Hundreds of thousands of people still remain in el-Fasher, where food shortages and violence continue under the RSF’s control. This has created a hunger crisis so severe that the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification hunger-monitoring system declared a famine in November.
Similar conditions have also been reported in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan State, while at least 20 other areas across the contested western Sudanese region of Darfur and the central region of Kordofan are at risk of famine.
Siege and famine
In el-Fasher and other besieged towns, prolonged blockades have cut off food, fuel and medicine. Markets have either collapsed or become unaffordable.
The 2026 Global Report on Food Crises, released by the European Union-funded Global Network Against Food Crises, said conflict in Darfur and Kordofan has severely constrained humanitarian access with “devastating effects on food security”.
The report found that by September, about 375,000 people were in the most extreme level of hunger, concentrated in the states of North Darfur, South Kordofan and West Kordofan.
For civilians, this has meant hunger has become unavoidable.
Marasi’s experience reflects a wider pattern across western and central Sudan, where sieges and fighting have created famine-level conditions.
Seeking refuge
Marasi is not alone in seeking refuge in Omdurman, which is part of Sudan’s capital region of Khartoum and is controlled by the SAF.
Q&A
What caused the displacement of families in Sudan?
The displacement is primarily caused by famine and violence from the Rapid Support Forces' takeover in el-Fasher.
What is the current situation in el-Fasher, Sudan?
El-Fasher is experiencing severe food shortages and violence under RSF control, leading to a declared famine.
How has the RSF's control affected food availability in Sudan?
The RSF's control has led to blockades that prevent food from entering the city, resulting in widespread hunger and hardship.
What are the living conditions for displaced families in Omdurman?
Displaced families in Omdurman are living in inadequate shelters with little food and no proper services.
