Source: Save the Children
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.
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.