Content warning: This article mentions extreme violence and sexual assault.
Sudan is currently gripped by a devastating civil war — a crisis that has dominated global headlines and sparked widespread international concern. In recent weeks, a surge of graphic footage and urgent pleas from political activists has brought renewed attention to the conflict, creating the impression that it is a sudden development. In reality, the roots of this internal strife run deep. The war, which erupted in 2023, has already claimed the lives of over 100,000 people, leaving a nation in turmoil and the world searching for answers.
In 2021, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control of Sudan’s government, setting the stage for a dangerous power struggle. Over the next two years, a simmering animosity escalated as both factions vied for dominance, unwilling to relinquish authority or make concessions. On April 15, 2023, the standoff erupted into open conflict, plunging Sudan into a brutal civil war that continues to devastate the nation.
This year, the world’s attention turned once again to Sudan amid harrowing reports from El-Fashur, a refugee city in North Darfur State. The RSF encircled and seized control of El-Fashur, imposing a siege that triggered a humanitarian catastrophe. All aid routes were blocked, resulting in widespread famine among civilians. In late October, the RSF overpowered the SAF, which had been defending the city, and launched a violent assault on El-Fashur. Reports indicate that approximately 2,000 unarmed civilians were executed in the aftermath. Survivors in the camps faced starvation, executions, physical and sexual violence, and captivity at the hands of both warring factions. The scale and brutality of these attacks have led many observers to describe the events as genocide.
The RSF has a long and troubling legacy that extends far beyond recent headlines. Originally established in 2013, with origins tracing back to the notorious Janjaweed militia of 2003, the RSF is widely believed to have targeted non-Arab ethnic groups in a campaign to assert Arab dominance over Sudan. This campaign has been marked by systematic violence, including widespread reports of sexual assault and atrocities that have left deep scars on countless communities. Disturbing satellite imagery has emerged, revealing clusters suspected to be mass graves, while graphic videos circulating online document the brutal killing of civilians by RSF forces. The explicit nature of this material has prompted warnings from humanitarian organizations, underscoring the profound psychological toll and the severity of the ongoing atrocities.
The ongoing violence has forced thousands to flee their homes, turning entire communities into refugees almost overnight. Reports indicate that, since Oct. 26, between 60,000 and 80,000 people have escaped the besieged city of El-Fashur alone, while thousands more have been displaced across the wider conflict zone. Civilians bear the full weight of this crisis, with children among those enduring unimaginable horrors.
Today, more than half of Sudan’s population faces critical shortages of food, shelter, and medical assistance — a humanitarian emergency that demands urgent international attention and action.