Sudan has been trapped in a brutal civil war since April 2023, when a fierce power struggle erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The conflict has devastated the country, leading to mass displacement, famine, and widespread atrocities — including what the U.S. and human rights groups have described as genocide in Darfur.
More than 150,000 people have died, and 12 million have fled their homes, creating what the United Nations calls the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
⚔️ How the War Started
Sudan’s latest conflict traces back to the political instability that followed the 2019 overthrow of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir, who seized power in a 1989 coup.
After his removal, the army shared power with civilians in hopes of transitioning to democracy. But divisions deepened, culminating in another coup in October 2021, led jointly by:
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Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudanese army
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Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”), commander of the RSF
Their alliance soon collapsed over disagreements about integrating the RSF into the regular army and who would command the new force.
By 15 April 2023, gunfire broke out in the capital Khartoum, escalating into full-blown war. The RSF seized large parts of the city before the army regained control in March 2025.
🪖 Who Are the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)?
The RSF emerged in 2013 from the Janjaweed militia, which was accused of committing genocide and ethnic cleansing during the Darfur conflict in the early 2000s.
Led by Gen. Hemedti, the RSF has since become a powerful military and economic force, controlling gold mines and allegedly smuggling gold through the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Sudanese army accuses the UAE and Libyan commander Gen. Khalifa Haftar of supplying the RSF with weapons and drones — claims both deny.
By late 2025, the RSF controlled most of Darfur, parts of Kordofan, and key border routes with Libya and Egypt.
🪙 What the Army Controls
Gen. Burhan and the national army maintain control of much of northern and eastern Sudan, backed by Egypt, with Port Sudan serving as their base of operations.
Although the army recaptured Khartoum in early 2025, the city remains largely in ruins — its banks, hospitals, and ministries reduced to rubble.
The army also reclaimed the Gezira state, a critical agricultural region, but suffered major setbacks when el-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur under its control, fell to the RSF in October 2025 after a devastating siege.
⚰️ Genocide and War Crimes Allegations
Human rights organizations have accused the RSF and allied militias of ethnic cleansing against non-Arab communities in Darfur, particularly the Massalit people.
Reports include mass killings, sexual violence, and deliberate starvation tactics. The U.S. government formally declared the violence a genocide in early 2025, sanctioning both Gen. Hemedti and Gen. Burhan.
The RSF denies the accusations, calling the events “tribal clashes,” but UN investigators say there is credible evidence of systematic targeting of ethnic groups.
Tens of thousands have been killed in el-Geneina and el-Fasher, while 250,000 civilians trapped in the region face starvation and disease.
🤝 Efforts Toward Peace
Multiple peace talks — hosted in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and other nations — have failed to stop the violence.
In November 2025, the RSF agreed to a humanitarian ceasefire proposal from the U.S., UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, but the army expressed skepticism, citing past RSF violations.
The World Food Programme (WFP) warns that over 24 million Sudanese are now suffering from acute food insecurity. Nearly 80% of aid kitchens have shut down due to funding cuts, making Sudan one of the world’s forgotten wars.
📍 Where Is Sudan?
Sudan lies in northeast Africa, bordered by seven countries and the Red Sea. Despite its vast gold reserves, the nation was among the poorest in the world even before the war — with an average annual income of just $750 per person in 2022.
Today, after years of conflict, Sudan’s infrastructure, economy, and society are in collapse, leaving millions desperate for peace and survival.
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