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“She did not leave any last words. She was deceased by the time they took her away,” reflects Hafiza, reminiscing about her mother’s tragic death during the ongoing siege of el-Fasher, amidst Sudan’s civil war that has persisted for two years.
At just 21, Hafiza documented the profound impact her mother’s loss had on her family, utilizing one of the few phones provided by the BBC World Service to individuals caught in the chaos in el-Fasher.
With el-Fasher under continuous attack and largely isolated for the past year, journalists have found it nearly impossible to enter the city. To protect the identities of those sharing their stories, we are using only first names.
In her new reality, Hafiza became the caretaker for her younger brother and two teenage sisters, following their father’s death prior to the war. The conflict has morphed into the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, pitting the Sudanese military against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
In response to the growing needs of displaced individuals in el-Fasher, Hafiza has taken on voluntary efforts, including the distribution of blankets and food (Hafiza).
Once allies in a coup, the military and RSF have descended into conflict, following disputes over an internationally supported transition to civilian governance.
Currently, Hafiza’s home city is the last significant location under military control in the western Darfur region and has been besieged by the RSF for over a year.
In a devastating shelling incident in August 2024, a blast struck the market where her mother had gone to sell goods.
“Grief is overwhelming; I still cannot bring myself to visit where she used to work,” Hafiza expresses in one of her early video messages after the tragedy.
“I spend my days in solitude, overwhelmed with tears at home.”
Accusations of war crimes have surfaced against both factions for allegedly targeting civilians, claims they both refute. The RSF has consistently denied charges of genocide against non-Arab populations in other regions of Darfur.
Within her circumstances, Hafiza managed to secure a way for her siblings to stay with relatives in a safer location while she remained in el-Fasher to find work to support them.
Her accounts narrate her days spent providing aid to displaced individuals: delivering blankets and water, helping at communal kitchens, and contributing to breast cancer awareness initiatives, often compensated minimally for her efforts.
Alone at night, she reflects, “I recall the places where my mother and siblings would gather; I feel utterly shattered.”
In the background of Mostafa’s recorded messages, the sounds of artillery fire are omnipresent.
“We are subjected to continuous artillery bombardments day and night from the RSF,” he says.
On one occasion, after visiting family, he returned home to find his house damaged from shelling and ransacked. “Everything has been turned on its head. Most homes in our area have been plundered,” he states, attributing the destruction to the RSF.
During his time volunteering at a shelter for the displaced, Mostafa recorded intense attacks while hiding and flinching at the explosions he could not escape.
“There is no safe haven in el-Fasher,” he remarks. “Even refugee camps are subjected to shelling.”
He further describes the dire lack of clean water available, with many resorting to drinking from polluted sources.
Likewise, Manahel, 26, also provided her services at community kitchens reliant on donations from Sudanese living abroad.
The UN has raised alarms concerning looming famine within the city, a crisis already realized in the nearby Zamzam camp housing over 500,000 displaced individuals.
Many residents struggle to access the markets or face exorbitant prices when they attempt to, Manahel explains.
“Everyone is in the same boat now—no one is wealthy or poor. Families cannot afford basic necessities, including food.”
The meals Manahel helps prepare are often the sole sustenance available to those in need (Manahel).
After preparing meals like rice and stew, the duo delivers the food to various shelters, where it often constitutes the only food for the day for many.
Just as the war erupted, Manahel had recently graduated from university with a focus on Sharia and law. As violence encroached upon el-Fasher, she relocated her family to a safer locale, away from the frontline.
“You lose everything—your home, all your belongings—and end up in a new place with nothing,” she laments.
Her father, however, chose to stay behind to safeguard the possessions entrusted to him by neighbors, a decision that tragically ended his life when he was killed by RSF shelling in September 2024.
Manahel and her family needed to find a new residence as their home was too close to the conflict zones (Manahel).
According to the UN, since the siege commenced, nearly 2,000 individuals have been killed or injured in el-Fasher.
Nighttime poses increased dangers for the city’s one million residents, as power outages render streets dark and eerie.
Those with access to solar power or batteries fear turning on lights, as it might attract drone attention, Manahel adds.
At times, reaching her and others was impossible for days due to the lack of internet connectivity.
A shared and palpable concern for both Manahel and Hafiza is the threat of what might occur if the city were to fall to the RSF.
“As a girl, I could face rape,” Hafiza expressed in one of her recorded messages.
Both she, Mostafa, and Manahel come from non-Arab communities, informed by the harrowing accounts of atrocities that have unfolded in other cities, particularly in el-Geneina, located 250 miles (400km) from el-Fasher.
Abandoned structures reflect the aftermath in some neighborhoods of el-Geneina (BBC).
In 2023, this region experienced appalling massacres along ethnic lines, which has been characterized by the US and others as genocide. Non-Arab ethnic groups, including the Massalit, allegedly faced systematic attacks from RSF fighters and allied militias—a claim denied by the RSF.
In a refugee camp across the border in Chad, a Massalit woman recounted a horrific experience of gang rape by RSF fighters, leaving her incapacitated for nearly two weeks. The UN has documented incidents of girls as young as 14 being victims of sexual violence.
One survivor recounted witnessing a massacre committed by RSF forces, narrowly escaping after sustaining injuries and being left for dead.
The UN estimates that between 10,000 and 15,000 individuals lost their lives in el-Geneina in 2023 alone. Currently, over a quarter million residents have become refugees in Chad, fleeing their former homes.
Attempts to reach out to the RSF regarding these assertions have gone unresponded, though the group has previously refuted any claims of ethnic cleansing, suggesting that impersonators wore RSF garb to deflect blame.
Limited news coverage has been possible in el-Geneina since that time, but following lengthy negotiations, a BBC team gained rare access to the city in December 2024.
Armed RSF members patrol el-Geneina’s streets (BBC).
During the visit, we were assigned minders from local authorities who controlled our movements and the sights we could observe.
The RSF’s presence was unmistakable, evident by their armed escorts and open display of military might.
Encounters with RSF members revealed a starkly different interpretation of the conflict. A commanding officer claimed no civilians, like Hafiza, Mostafa, and Manahel, existed within el-Fasher; all were participants in the war.
He asserted that el-Geneina had returned to a stable atmosphere, declaring that most of its prior residents—”around 90%”—had returned to occupy what he deemed “previously empty” residences.
However, the reality of ongoing displacement is underscored by the existence of numerous wrecked and abandoned neighborhoods, indicative of the dire situation faced by many.
We observed increased food prices at a market intended for the local populace (BBC).
In el-Geneina’s market, the response of shoppers regarding their living conditions was closely watched by the minders, limiting the authenticity of perspectives shared. Most respondents, guided by the presence of authority, deemed life as “fine,” with only veiled references to exorbitant prices.
Lifestyle descriptions often contradicted the information relayed by the minders, who sought to downplay concerns regarding rising costs.
The visit concluded with an interview with Tijani Karshoum, the governor of West Darfur, who assumed office following the murder of his predecessor in May 2023 after vocalizing concerns about the RSF’s actions.
In his first public appearance since 2023, Karshoum emphasized his claims of neutrality amid the unrest in el-Geneina while sidestepping accountability for increasing levels of violence.
“Allegations of killings, abductions, or sexual violence must undergo independent investigation,” Tijani Karshoum asserted.
“We have embarked on a new chapter advocating for peace, coexistence, and moving past former hostilities,” he continued, labeling the UN’s casualty figures as exaggerated.
Accompanying him was a representative believed to be affiliated with the RSF.
Karshoum’s replies to inquiries reflected an uncanny consistency, regardless of whether they concerned ethnic cleansing claims or the fate of the former governor, Khamis Abakar.
Subsequently, the European Union imposed sanctions on him for his alleged role in the attack that resulted in his predecessor’s death, linking him to serious human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law.
Upon following up, he commented on the allegations against him, asserting that his status as a suspect rendered any defense unsound.
However, he maintained he was never involved in the tribal conflict and was at home during the clashes, denying any involvement in humanitarian law violations.
“Accusations of killings, abductions, or rape warrant an independent investigation,” he reaffirmed, offering his cooperation.
“Since the conflict’s inception in Khartoum, we have advocated for peace and proposed well-known initiatives to mitigate violence in our vulnerable state,” he concluded.
In November, Mostafa made the decision to evacuate el-Fasher, realizing the dangers posed by a lingering conflict (Mostafa).
With the narratives promoted by governing bodies in stark contrast to the harrowing testimonies gleaned from refugees, hopeful returns for displaced individuals seem a distant dream.
The same sentiments pervade the experiences of over 12 million Sudanese individuals forced to abandon their homes, either as refugees in other nations or within camps scattered across Sudan.
Consequently, Hafiza, Mostafa, and Manahel ultimately concluded that life in el-Fasher was unsustainable and collectively left the city for nearby towns in November 2024.
As the military reclaimed control of Khartoum in March, Darfur transforms into the last major expanse where paramilitary groups maintain significant influence, thus intensifying conflict in el-Fasher.
“El-Fasher has turned frightening,” Manahel reflected while packing her things.
“We are departing without clarity on our future. Will we be able to return to el-Fasher? When will this conflict conclude? The uncertainty is overwhelming.”
More about the conflict in Sudan
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