More than three years into the armed conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), civilian populations in besieged cities across Sudan face devastating humanitarian conditions. The war has triggered severe shortages of basic necessities, leaving trapped families struggling to survive under ongoing blockades and bombardments.
In disputed areas such as Khartoum, residents have experienced extreme deprivation. Families trapped by the fighting, including that of Ms. Al-Numeiri, reported having nothing to eat except boiled wheat and burning their household furniture for warmth after fuel supplies ran out. Malnutrition, contaminated drinking water, and the absence of medical care have caused severe and critical illnesses among civilians.
Civilians in other besieged locations, including El Fasher in North Darfur following its siege by the RSF in October 2025, experience continuous bombardment, soaring food prices, and acute healthcare shortages. Community leaders report that women bear a disproportionate burden of the crisis, facing widespread threats of violence, beatings, sexual violence, looting, displacement, and the abduction of family members.
Despite extreme personal danger and material loss, women have stepped up to serve as primary frontline responders. Local community leaders, such as Amna Mohamed of a UN-supported organization in North Darfur, have remained in besieged zones to supply meals and financial assistance. In the capital, psychological support officers at facilities like the East Nile Women’s Empowerment Centre note that displaced women often return having lost everything, requiring vital community-driven recovery support.
