Two years of relentless civil war have left Sudan reeling, with more than 150,000 lives lost and millions displaced in one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Since April 2023, clashes between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have plunged the country into chaos, as famine, water shortages, and lack of shelter push nearly 12 million Sudanese toward an uncertain future.
The roots of Sudan’s turmoil stretch back to 2019, when long-time President Omar al-Bashir was ousted after decades of authoritarian rule. A fragile civilian-military transitional government emerged but was toppled again in October 2021, paving the way for a dangerous power struggle between Army Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF Commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. When RSF forces moved into conflict in April 2023, Sudan’s descent into bloodshed became inevitable.
The RSF, formed in 2013 from the infamous Janjaweed militias of Darfur, has long been accused of human rights abuses. Under Dagalo’s leadership, the force transformed into a formidable armed entity, now rivaling the national army itself. Across the country, northern and eastern regions remain under army control, while the west and south—including Darfur and Kordofan—are dominated by RSF forces. Khartoum, the capital, lies in ruins as both sides battle for supremacy.
Reports of atrocities are horrifying. In Darfur, the RSF has been accused of rape, killings, and abuse of children, with some testimonies recounting threats of forced pregnancies. The UN describes these acts as emblematic of a deepening humanitarian disaster.
Economically, Sudan teeters on the edge of collapse. Government revenue has dropped by nearly 80 percent, while the nation of 46 million struggles with a per capita income of only $750. The UN warns that without urgent international intervention and a swift cessation of hostilities, Sudan’s crisis risks spilling beyond Africa, becoming a global catastrophe.
As the world watches, Sudan’s tragedy underscores a stark truth: the cost of war is not only measured in lives lost, but in the human potential extinguished, the futures stolen, and the very fabric of a nation unraveling. The international community faces a moral imperative—to act decisively before Sudan’s nightmare becomes irreversible.