CARE International: The ongoing siege of El Fasher, which has been ongoing for more than a year, is deepening the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan.

August 21, 2025 (PEN) CARE International warned that the siege of El Fasher, North Darfur, which has been ongoing for more than 12 months, has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where civilians are living in conditions the organization described as "desperate," amid hunger, disease, and constant fear.

CARE Sudan explained that families fleeing North Darfur continue to cross into or settle in East Darfur, where the organization provides health, water, cash assistance, and livelihoods services. However, according to the organization, testimonies from new arrivals reveal deadly journeys along deadly desert roads, where thousands of people walk for days in sweltering heat without food or water, some losing their lives or becoming lost in the desert.

According to UN estimates, more than 825,000 children remain trapped in El Fasher and Zamzam camp, while cases of severe acute malnutrition have increased by 46% since April 2025. Some 640,000 children are also at risk of contracting cholera, which has swept the country since July 2024.

CARE noted that the prices of basic commodities have increased twentyfold since the outbreak of the conflict, with the price of a bag of maize rising from $100 to more than $2,000, forcing families to consume animal feed made from peanut shells instead of food.

In this context, the United Nations confirmed that 17 regions in Sudan are classified as threatened by famine, including Darfur and the Nuba Mountains, while actual famine has been documented in some areas since August 2024. It also warned of serious and widespread violations of international humanitarian law, including ethnic-based persecution and crimes against humanity.

CARE Sudan noted that the humanitarian response plan is only 23.2% funded, leading to the reduction of community kitchens and services provided by local women's organizations, which bear the brunt. "The situation is worsening by the minute," said Abdulrahman Ali, the organization's country director. "Families are arriving exhausted, hungry, and traumatized, while humanitarian access collapses due to deliberate obstruction and a lack of funding. Without urgent international support, countless lives will be lost."

CARE called for an immediate increase in humanitarian funding, with a focus on supporting local women's organizations and victims of sexual violence. However, she emphasized that funding alone is not enough, and that what is required is to lift the siege on El Fasher, stop attacks, and ensure safe and unrestricted access for aid.