In brief
As Sudan's civil war rages on, Alawia Babiker Ahmed shares her chilling experience of fleeing violence, enduring a miscarriage, and rescuing an orphaned child amidst chaos, underscoring the deep humanitarian crisis facing millions.
A mere 19 years old, Alawia Babiker Ahmed faced a heart-wrenching ordeal as she fled the violent turmoil engulfing Sudan's Darfur region. In a harrowing three-day trek of approximately 70 kilometers (45 miles) from the embattled city of el-Fasher to the town of Tawila, she experienced a miscarriage while desperately escaping airstrikes and armed gangs. “I was bleeding while I walked,” Alawia lamented. “But I knew there were those suffering far greater." Amidst this trauma, she discovered a baby left crying beside his deceased mother. Alawia couldn’t leave the child behind. “We covered the mother and kept going,” she recounted, emphasizing the dire circumstances engendered by the ongoing conflict.Since April 2023, Sudan has faced a devastating civil war fueled by clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), creating one of the most significant humanitarian crises globally, with over 12 million people displaced from their homes. The Darfur region remains a significant battleground, under the RSF’s dominance, while el-Fasher continues to be bombarded as the RSF attempts to seize control.As violence escalated, Alawia and her family were compelled to abandon their home. Along the perilous journey, her brother, Marwan Mohamed Adam, 21, shared his struggles, having suffered physical assault and robbery at the hands of RSF-affiliated gangs. “I felt like I was already dead,” he told the BBC, revealing his fear of execution for revealing he was from el-Fasher, instead claiming he was from a different village to survive.Khadija Ismail Ali, another survivor, recounted the grim sight of bodies littering the streets, including the tragic loss of 11 family members during the bombardment of el-Fasher. Through their four-day escape, she witnessed her children perish from dehydration.Leaving behind their homes, families have been forced into dire circumstances, with agricultural land seized by armed groups and severe food shortages affecting many. Medical charity Alima reported that malnutrition rates have reached alarming levels, particularly among children arriving in Tawila.In their quest for survival, Alawia and her family, having run out of food, sought water but encountered further violence from RSF fighters, who confiscated their last belongings, including the modest amount of money they had left. Despite this, Alawia remained resilient, trying to secure water for the orphaned child they had rescued.Eventually, they reached Tawila, where Alawia collapsed and required medical attention. After being treated, her family searched for the infant's relatives and successfully reunited him. Currently finding refuge with a welcoming family in Tawila, Alawia expressed gratitude for their safety yet voiced her concerns about an uncertain future.Meanwhile, Marwan dreams of leaving Sudan to further his education and seek a new beginning, a hope shared by countless others affected by the relentless war that continues to devastate lives in Sudan.
