After walking for four days to escape the escalating
violence in El Fasher, Sudan, mothers arriving in Tawila in
desperate need of aid recounted harrowing journeys, telling
Save the Children how they were attacked by armed men on
motorbikes and some robbed along the way.
Women who
managed to escape with their children as fighting raged made
the 70 km journey to Tawila without food or water and are
now dependent on humanitarian assistance which was already
stretched before the latest escalation in violence in North
Darfur.
They have told Save the Children staff of how
they were attacked on the perilous journey by armed men,
with some witnessing their neighbours and relatives being
killed in front of them, and others robbed of their
belongings.
The city of El Fasher has been under siege
for over 500 days. On Sunday media and local sources
reported severe atrocities as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
took full control of the city where aid workers are
operating under extreme risk.
Aid agencies in a joint
statement this week warned of imminent catastrophe in El
Fasher and have called for unimpeded access for humanitarian
and commercial supplies as well as safe and unimpeded
passage for civilians wishing to leave the city.
More
than 260,000 people – including an estimated 130,000
children – remain trapped inside the city, enduring
famine-like conditions, a total collapse of health services,
and no safe way out.
According to the United Nations,
about 26,000 people have fled El Fasher. Communication
channels remain down but credible
accounts indicate summary executions of civilians
attempting to flee as well as attacks on escape routes and
house-to-house raids.
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Saadiya-, a mother of
three, from El Fasher, said:
“In El Fasher,
we faced such difficulties and such circumstances. We lost
family members, we lost neighbours, we lost
everyone.
“We’ve been walking for the past four days
from El Fasher. A group of motorbike riders met us on the
way. They took our luggage and threw our clothes and
belongings onto thorn bushes, scattering everything along
the road. They took my money and even my phone! I was
beaten-my ear still hurts.
“They beat [up] some people
and battered them in front of us. They killed people and
insulted us a lot.
“We were so hungry and thirsty.
Since we arrived here, Alhamdulillah, there is food. They
gave us dinner last night at 1 a.m., and this morning they
gave us breakfast early.”
Awatif-, a mother of
six, from El Fasher, fled with her six children and
husband. She said there was no food and they survived on
umbaz (animal feed) and porridge made from maize or flour.
She said:
“We hid the children in trenches, and we ran
into abandoned buildings during the attacks. After that, we
just ate umbaz (animal feed). We have our children abroad
who used to send us money [although] the money they send, no
matter how much, when you have a lot of children to feed, it
doesn’t do much.”
Save the Children has been rapidly
scaling
up operations, providing shelter, food, water and
personal hygiene items, but has called for a rapid
escalation in funding to meet the increasing
needs.
The aid agency is calling for coordinated
humanitarian action to protect civilians, restore access to
essential services, and address the growing displacement
crisis, with growing fears and concerns that Tawila could
also come under attack.
Francesco Lanino,
Deputy Country Director of Programmes and Operations for
Save the Children in Sudan, said:
“The crisis
in North Darfur is spiralling into a humanitarian
catastrophe that the world cannot afford to ignore. Credible
reports now speak of summary executions, door-to-door
killings of civilians, and desperate families locked in a
tightening siege with no way out. Children are starving,
hospitals have shut down or been destroyed, and those who
try to flee face extreme violence and unimaginable
danger.
“Hundreds of thousands of children are at
immediate risk of violence, hunger, and disease. We urgently
call on all parties to agree to a ceasefire to respect
international humanitarian law, and allow safe, unhindered
humanitarian access ensure the safety of civilians and aid
workers.”
Since the siege of El Fasher began in April
2024, Save the Children has significantly scaled up its
humanitarian response across Tawila and Jabal Marra in
Central and North Darfur. The organisation has reached over
224,000 internally displaced people fleeing violence and
insecurity including providing support for newly arrived
families, host communities, and conflict-affected
populations.
In Tawila and across North Darfur, Save
the Children is operating four health facilities and an
expanding mobile health platform, while in Jabal Marra, we
operate seven health facilities and three mobile
clinics.
