El Fasher siege nearing end, North Darfur official says

June 21, 2025 (EL FASHER) – The health minister of Sudan’s North Darfur state, Ibrahim Abdallah Khatir, announced on Saturday that the lifting of the siege on El Fasher is imminent, offering a glimmer of hope to the city’s beleaguered population.

The blockade, imposed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2024, has led to critical shortages of essential goods and medical supplies. The humanitarian crisis deepened after the Sudanese army ceased airdropping supplies in April of this year.

“A breakthrough is near,” Khatir stated following a meeting with hospital directors and physicians in El Fasher. He indicated that relief would come through a combination of renewed airdrops and measures to break the siege, citing reports from concerned authorities.

The prolonged siege and continuous shelling have decimated supplies of medicine, medical consumables, and food, triggering a mass exodus of residents, including vital healthcare personnel.

The dire lack of medical resources has forced some residents to resort to primitive treatments. In a stark illustration of the city’s collapse, donkey-drawn carts are being used to transport the wounded due to a severe fuel scarcity, with most of the city’s hospitals no longer operational.

Describing the current situation as “the beginning of the real war,” Khatir called for “patience, steadfastness, cooperation, and high morale.”

According to the statement, hospital directors and doctors have pledged to continue providing medical services, viewing it as a “national, humanitarian, and professional duty.” They stressed the urgent need for medical supplies, improved working conditions, better living arrangements, and financial incentives.

In a recent development, some goods have begun to appear in the few remaining shops in El Fasher after the state governor threatened to confiscate hoarded supplies and distribute them to citizens free of charge.