Desolation in Darfur: UN's First Glimpse into Al-Fashir After RSF Takeover

International aid workers access Sudan's al-Fashir for the first time since paramilitary control, finding the city largely deserted with signs of famine and ethnic violence. Many remain unaccounted for, with ongoing concerns about the injured and detained. Aid efforts face challenges in negotiating safe passage and providing supplies.

International aid workers entered Sudan's al-Fashir for the first time since the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) takeover, uncovering a ghost city left in the wake of ethnically-motivated violence. A senior U.N. official described al-Fashir as a 'crime scene', highlighting the harrowing realities lingering in the city.

Since the paramilitary control began after an 18-month siege, over 100,000 have fled amid famine conditions. The United Nations (U.N.) managed access only after protracted negotiations for safe passage, amid RSF narratives suggesting normalcy had returned.

The remnants of life in a small market and makeshift camps paint a picture of survival and despair. As demands for humanitarian aid continue, the focus is on locating the injured and detained and ensuring ongoing support for the vulnerable in and around al-Fashir.

(With inputs from agencies.)