Mary’s Story: Displaced and displaced again

21 July 2024

Mary Abdul Rahman used to live in Khartoum, but the war caught up with her and her three small children last year, compelling them to flee to what they thought would be a safer city: El Fasher in North Darfur State. She ran barefoot, carrying her daughter, while her son ran alongside me. “We thought it would be better in El Fasher, but it was worse; because of the bombing, shelling and burning,” she said. The fighting between the army, allied armed groups and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces was so intense, Maria and her three children were displaced three times in El Fasher, often trapped inside for fear of the shelling and desperately hungry, lacking access to any food. Maria and her three children managed to flee to Tawila, North Darfur State. Slightly safer now, Maria says she is still living in fear and anticipation, having nothing left, not even spare clothes or blankets.