Fleeing Sudanese rely on strangers' generosity to survive

On the long and arduous journey out of Sudan, scores may have starved were it not for the generosity of strangers (AFP)

"The RSF forces, whether implicitly or explicitly, have been told to fend for themselves, feed themselves and organise themselves."

Even before the war began, Jazira residents had already been mobilised to hand out food to travellers -- a common practice during Ramadan that Muslims believe will help earn them a place in heaven.

But as the fighting drags on and food supplies dwindle in Khartoum, which has borne the brunt of much of the fighting, the volunteers continue to line the roads well beyond the holy month.

"People left unprepared," Hussein told AFP. "We began providing them with water then people joined, bringing food from their homes."

"As the situation continued, we began collecting donations from village residents and making the food ourselves," he said.

The Norwegian Refugee Council has meanwhile reported the doubling of food prices in Jazira.

- 'In every village' -

The turmoil is likely to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in a country where 15 million people -- a third of the population -- were already in need of aid to stave off famine even before the conflict, according to the United Nations.