The Sudanese Civil War has resulted in over 60,000 fatalities, displaced over 14 million people, and rendered the majority of Sudan in need of immediate humanitarian aid. The conflict stems from an ongoing dispute between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary force that once fought under the authority of the Sudanese Army. Although this outbreak of violence began in 2023, its origins date back over 30 years.
In 1989, a Sudanese military officer named Omar al-Bashir led a coup d’état that successfully overthrew the democratic government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi. Al-Bashir and his party maintained an authoritarian rule until 2019, when thousands of protestors united to demand his resignation. That same year, Bashir was arrested and overthrown in a military coup d’état by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Originally, the SAF planned to share power with various civilian factions in a transitional government. But two years later, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan orchestrated another coup, and the SAF took complete control, abandoning the power-sharing agreement.
Despite the Sudanese public’s support for the transition into a democratic system, the ongoing tension between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has delayed the process. To some extent, this conflict can be considered a personal tension between Sudanese Army General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as “Hemedti.” These two were once allies under Bashir’s military efforts: Al-Burhan led the SAF and Dagalo commanded the Janjaweed militia, which was re-established into the RSF in 2013.
Though they have always been separate forces, the SAF and RSF collaborated on various military operations. In the 2019 coup d’état, General Dagalo and General al-Burhan worked together to successfully overthrow al-Bashir. But during the Sudanese protests in 2019, both forces were accused of killing and injuring hundreds of Sudanese citizens.
This introduces the crisis at hand: on April 15, 2023, the Sudanese Army and the RSF began to engage in gunfights and airstrikes, sparking a civil war. It is unclear what exactly started the exchange of fire, but each force blamed the other for an assault on their bases in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. The conflict quickly progressed into an outright civil war as the forces each battled to take control of government buildings and media stations. Neither side considered the protection of civilian lives in developing war strategy: in just the first week of this conflict, nearly 200 Sudanese civilians were killed in the cross-fire.
The war has devastated the Sudanese population, and neither side has shown willingness to reach a ceasefire agreement. A large share of the violence has taken place in residential areas, and more than 24.8 million civilians—approximately half of the population—are now in need of humanitarian aid. Many civilians are trapped in the midst of this conflict and are unable to access proper healthcare resources. In addition, bridges and roads which have been destroyed have only further hindered humanitarian organizations from reaching the vulnerable Sudanese population. Despite the efforts of humanitarian activists to spread awareness, the rest of the world has largely neglected the conflict.
Many activists are calling upon Egypt to provide support, as they have previously been involved in Sudanese affairs and closely monitor peace and security along the Sudanese border. The intervention of a powerful foreign military, such as Egypt’s, could potentially end the bitter and prolonged stalemate between the SAF and RSF.
International leaders have not only failed to properly recognize the dramatic scale of the Sudanese War, but also its devastating humanitarian consequences. Further worsening matters, a recent flood has impeded the distribution of food supplies throughout Sudan. The Nile River System receives intense monsoon rainfall, which leads to flooding of the neighboring areas, and will continuously render Sudan prone to these sorts of challenges. Without proper drainage infrastructure, communities spared by the war will face destruction from the weather. As infrastructure becomes increasingly damaged and destroyed, humanitarian agencies face greater obstacles in ensuring that aid is successfully delivered to vulnerable Sudanese communities. Thus, the Sudanese population sits in perpetual danger of political and environmental disaster.
Moving forward, international entities must adopt a more comprehensive strategy to promote peace in Sudan and address the humanitarian needs of its civilians. However, humanitarian resources alone cannot ensure an end to the violence. As long as the Sudanese Civil War continues, Sudanese communities will lack the proper time and resources to recover from the environmental and political tragedies. Since the SAF and RSF have failed to reach successful negotiations thus far, international leaders must apply diplomatic pressure to encourage a more efficient path to peace. The presence of a third party in conversations with Sudan such as Egypt or the United Arab Emirates would considerably increase the likelihood of achieving a successful agreement. Through such measures, Dagalo and al-Burhan may realize that peace is a more strategic and humane solution to their differences than war.
Written by: Ibrahim Ghazal Edited by: Graham Owens