Humanitarian assistance has reached the besieged Sudanese city of El Fasher for the first time in 18 months, a development the United States says underscores the urgency of securing sustained and nationwide access for civilians trapped by the ongoing conflict.
The delivery, which included more than 1.3 metric tons of food, water purification supplies and basic health kits, was facilitated through months of U.S.-led negotiations aimed at opening humanitarian corridors into the city, according to U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos.
“We welcome the successful delivery of life-saving assistance, including the first delivery of more than 1.3 metric tons of food, water purification supplies, and basic health kits, to El Fasher today since it was besieged 18 months ago,” Boulos said.
El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has been cut off from regular humanitarian access amid intense fighting, leaving civilians facing acute shortages of food, clean water and medical supplies.
Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that prolonged isolation has pushed vulnerable communities closer to famine and worsened malnutrition and displacement.
According to the United States, the latest delivery followed a United Nations assessment mission conducted in late December and was carried out in close coordination with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and humanitarian partners on the ground.
Washington said the breakthrough reflects sustained diplomatic engagement to address access constraints imposed by the conflict.
However, U.S. officials stressed that the situation in El Fasher remains dire and that a single delivery is not sufficient to meet the scale of humanitarian needs in the city or across Sudan.
“Civilians in El Fasher have endured months of siege with humanitarian access blocked; it is critical that this assistance flows unhindered, not only to El Fasher where the situation remains dire, but throughout Sudan,” Boulos said.
The United States said it is intensifying pressure on the warring parties to agree to a nationwide humanitarian truce that would allow consistent and safe delivery of aid to areas affected by famine, malnutrition and conflict-driven displacement.
Washington also renewed its call for greater international support for relief operations in Sudan, urging donors to increase contributions to UN OCHA and its humanitarian partners to sustain life-saving assistance.
The renewed push comes as humanitarian agencies warn that millions of Sudanese remain in urgent need of aid amid ongoing violence and access restrictions.
The U.S. said it will continue to support mechanisms that facilitate unhindered humanitarian access, stressing that sustained international engagement is critical to preventing further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
