August 26, 2025 (UNITED NATIONS) – U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres held a call with Sudan’s Transitional Prime Minister on Tuesday to address the “dire humanitarian situation” in El Fasher, where a continued siege by the rebellious paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has trapped hundreds of thousands of civilians, the U.N. said. The discussion with Prime Minister Kamil El-Tayeb Idris focused specifically on the crisis caused by the “continued encirclement and bombardments,” which have cut off the North Darfur capital from essential humanitarian aid, medicine, and goods. The Sudanese government reports that 845,000 civilians remain in the city. The RSF blockade has led to severe shortages, forcing residents to eat “ambaz,” a peanut and sesame byproduct normally used as animal fodder, simply to survive. The U.N. call for humanitarian access comes amid reports of horrific violations committed by the RSF in the area, including killings, looting, and the abduction of women and children from displacement camps. According to aid agencies, the crisis in El Fasher is part of a wider catastrophe, with 79% of the population across the entire Darfur region in need of assistance and protection.