War and siege: Sudanese women step up as frontline responders three years on

UN Women spotlights survivors turned community lifelines in Khartoum and El Fasher

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published24 October 2026

Read Time3 min

More than three years after war erupted in Sudan, women who endured siege, displacement and extreme deprivation have become key frontline responders in their communities, according to a new UN Women report. From surviving critical illness in besieged Khartoum to running communal kitchens in El Fasher, the women profiled have stepped into leadership roles where state services have collapsed.

Tahani Al-Numeiri, a journalist and activist, was trapped in the capital when the Rapid Support Forces turned their guns on the army in April 2023. She recalls how communication networks collapsed, banking became inaccessible and essentials disappeared. Her family lived on boiled wheat and burned their furniture for warmth. Malnutrition and contaminated water led to a critical illness. 'My body was swollen, my skin was peeling, scabs were coming off. I had a severe fever, and there was blood in my eyes,' she told UN Women. 'My family had given up. They said I was going to die.'

After government troops retook Khartoum in March 2025, Ms Al-Numeiri recovered and began documenting conditions around her. She volunteered at a communal kitchen and posted videos online that went viral, raising awareness and support. 'I feel like I am a warrior on the frontlines,' she said.

Hundreds of kilometres away in North Darfur, the city of El Fasher was besieged by the RSF in October 2025. Amna Mohamed, president of a women-led organisation supported by the UN, stayed to help her community. She said women were the first to suffer. 'They may beat or rape you, and sometimes they loot your belongings. Sometimes they demand that you leave your home; they may kill your husband or brothers right before your eyes, or they may take your daughters right in front of you and lead them away to unknown locations.'

She stressed that women-led organisations are best placed to serve women in need, but noted that funding often goes to organisations led by men.

Back in the capital, Israa Hamid Khalil, a psychological support officer at a UN Women-supported centre in Khartoum, is helping women who are returning after years of displacement. Many have come back to looted homes stripped of everything. 'Women returned to the place where they had experienced those painful memories and traumas. They can't just stay at home and keep reliving those things,' Ms Khalil said. The centre provides counselling and livelihood support. 'How can we help them overcome this stage and begin their journey of psychological recovery?'

Analysis

Why This Matters

The Sudan conflict has created one of the world's largest displacement and hunger crises, with women bearing the heaviest burden of hunger, violence and displacement in besieged areas.
The UN Women spotlight shifts the narrative from women as passive victims to active community responders, highlighting the critical role of women-led organisations in filling gaps left by collapsed state services.
The return of displaced women to Khartoum signals a new phase of the crisis focused on recovery, psychological trauma and rebuilding.

Background

The war in Sudan began on 15 April 2023 when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Khartoum was subject to an extended siege and changing frontlines before being retaken by the SAF in March 2025. In Darfur, the RSF laid siege to cities including El Fasher from October 2025, cutting them off from food and aid. The conflict has displaced millions and destroyed infrastructure.

What to Watch

The pace and scale of the return of displaced populations to Khartoum and whether recovery efforts can address the psychological needs of returnees.
Whether funding for the humanitarian response, particularly for women-led organisations, increases to match the scale of the crisis.
The status of El Fasher and other besieged areas and the possibility of further displacement or siege-breaking.

Sources

Women ‘first to suffer’ under siege, first to step up as frontline responders in Sudan · UN News

Checked

11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 5 supported.

Show each claim

Partly supportedThe headline places the story three years after the war began.UN News - Global perspective Human stories: “the war between rival militaries erupted three and a half years ago”
SupportedThe summary describes the women profiled as survivors turned community lifelines in Khartoum and El Fasher.UN News - Global perspective Human stories: “some women – spotlighted by gender equality agency, UN Women – rolled up their sleeves and emerged as key frontline responders.”
Not in the sourcesState services had collapsed in the communities where the women took leadership roles.
SupportedAl-Numeiri said, “My body was swollen, my skin was peeling, scabs were coming off. I had a severe fever, and there was blood in my eyes.”UN News - Global perspective Human stories: ““My body was swollen, my skin was peeling, scabs were coming off. I had a severe fever, and there was blood in my eyes.”
Partly supportedAl-Numeiri told UN Women the quoted account of her illness.UN News - Global perspective Human stories: ““My body was swollen, my skin was peeling, scabs were coming off. I had a severe fever, and there was blood in my eyes. I could not even see anyone next to me. My family had given up. They said I was going to die,” she said.”
Partly supportedMalnutrition and contaminated water led to Al-Numeiri’s critical illness.UN News - Global perspective Human stories: “Malnutrition, contaminated water and lack of medical care caused her to fall critically ill.”
SupportedAl-Numeiri said, “I feel like I am a warrior on the frontlines.”UN News - Global perspective Human stories: ““I feel like I am a warrior on the frontlines,” she says.”
SupportedThe RSF besieged El Fasher in October 2025.UN News - Global perspective Human stories: “the city of El Fasher was also besieged by the RSF in October 2025.”
Partly supportedThe woman identified in the story as Amna Mohamed is identified by that name without an anonymity qualification.UN News - Global perspective Human stories: “Amna Mohamed*, the President of a women-led and UN-supported organization”
SupportedMohamed said, “They may beat or rape you, and sometimes they loot your belongings. Sometimes they demand that you leave your home; they may kill your husband or brothers right before your eyes, or they may take your daughters right in front of you and lead them away to unknown locations.”UN News - Global perspective Human stories: ““They may beat or rape you, and sometimes they loot your belongings. Sometimes they demand that you leave your home; they may kill your husband or brothers right before your eyes, or they may take your daughters right in front of you and lead them away to unknown locations,” she said.”
Partly supportedMohamed said funding often goes to organisations led by men.UN News - Global perspective Human stories: “when it comes to funding, projects sometimes go to organizations led by men”