Famine Expands in Sudan's Darfur, Reaches Two More Towns as Crisis Deepens
CAIRO (AP) — Famine conditions have expanded into two more towns in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, international hunger experts confirmed Wednesday, marking a dangerous escalation of a crisis first identified months ago in the regional capital of el-Fasher.
The spread underscores the catastrophic humanitarian impact of the ongoing conflict between Sudan's military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Aid organizations report that blockades, systematic looting of supplies, and targeted violence have crippled relief efforts across Darfur, a region still scarred by genocide two decades ago.
"This is not an unexpected development, but it is a devastating one," said a representative from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative, which conducts the famine assessments. "The movement of famine conditions from a major city to smaller towns indicates a complete breakdown of local coping mechanisms and market systems."
The crisis is now affecting hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped by the fighting. United Nations agencies warn that without immediate, unimpeded humanitarian access and a cessation of hostilities, the famine is likely to continue spreading across western Sudan.
Voices from the Ground
AP spoke to several individuals following the announcement:
Dr. Amina Khalid, a Sudanese public health researcher now based in Nairobi: "The data is confirming what we've feared for months. The international response has been woefully inadequate. This is a man-made disaster, fueled by weaponized hunger. Every day of inaction is a death sentence."
Michael Thorne, a former UN aid coordinator with experience in Darfur: "The expansion of famine zones is a direct result of the warring parties deliberately obstructing aid. We saw similar tactics in the 2000s. The world pledged 'never again,' yet here we are. This requires not just more aid, but intense diplomatic pressure to open corridors."
Sarah Jenkins, a volunteer with a medical charity recently evacuated from Chad: "It's infuriating. We're watching a repeat of the worst chapters of history in real time. The sharp condemnations from global capitals ring hollow while children starve. Where is the urgency? Where are the consequences for those blocking food?"
Professor James Okafor, African Studies scholar at the University of London: "This expansion threatens to destabilize the entire region further. We're likely to see increased cross-border movement into Chad and South Sudan, straining already fragile host communities. The conflict's ripple effects will be felt for years."