Sudan's civil war continues unabated, with the United Nations labelling it the cause of the world's deadliest famine in four decades. With over 150,000 lives lost and more than 14 million people displaced, including two million fleeing to neighbouring countries like Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, Sudan epitomises a neglected global crisis.
In March 2024, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for an 바카라immediate cessation of hostilities바카라, and in April, the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan pledged over two billion pounds in aid. However, these measures have done little to resolve the entrenched conflict between Sudan바카라s two warring factions.
History of Violence
Tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by Mohamed Hamdan 바카라Hemedti바카라 Dagalo erupted into full-scale violence in the country바카라s capital, Khartoum, in April 2023. The roots of the infighting go back to 2019 and the ousting of Sudan바카라s long-time dictator, Omar al-Bashir, in 2019.
Bashir ruled Sudan for 30 years and was widely reported to use religious persecution and militias like Janjaweed바카라now known as RSF바카라to suppress his dissenters. By 2019, he was ousted by a coup by SAF and RSF, supported by Sudanese citizens who were protesting Bashir바카라s rule on the streets.
The subsequent attempt at a civilian-military governance under the Sovereign Council, with economist Abdalla Hamdok as prime minister brought some hope for democratic reform. However, in 2021, another military coup resulted in Hamdok바카라s arrest and removal from prime ministership. After Hamdok바카라s removal, international financial institutions paused debt relief and aid, leaving the country without resources to address its economic woes. Inflation has soared, basic services have crumbled, and millions face poverty and starvation.
The RSF is rooted in its Janjaweed militia origins; and infamous for atrocities during the Darfur conflict. News agencies have reported instances from Sudan of ethnic cleansing, sexual violence, and abductions.
The international community바카라s response has been considered inadequate to the crisis, and within Sudan, the SAF and RSF have opposed international oversight as well. In May 2023, SAF바카라s General al-Burhan demanded that the UN remove its envoy Volker Perthes, Peace talks in Jeddah, brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia, collapsed repeatedly, as neither side adhered to their commitments. The SAF also withdrew support from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, in early 2024.
The toll of the conflict has been significant. The UN estimates around 14 million people have been displaced due to the war. The international body also said 24.6 million people urgently need food aid in the country. Hunger, in Sudan, has been weaponised by both RSF and SAF with factions of each raiding warehouses from aid agencies. The UN has warned of an impending famine in the country that will likely be 바카라the worst famines in history.바카라
Role of Arms and Regional MIC
Sudan바카라s strategic location along the Red Sea and its gold reserves make it a focal point for competing powers. Gold smuggling funds the RSF바카라s operations and, indirectly, Russia바카라s war in Ukraine. The involvement of foreign actors complicates peace efforts and threatens to destabilize neighbouring countries, triggering mass migration and creating opportunities for extremist groups.
The RSF reportedly receives arms from the United Arab Emirates, while the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization, supplies missiles. Meanwhile, reports say the SAF has acquired drones from Iran. These regional powers have intervened to transform a civil war into a proxy conflict.
Recent developments on the ground show that the RSF has gained significant territory over SAF. In July 2024, the militia secured its supply routes from South Sudan by capturing Sennar and West Kordofan. These territorial gains could be a turning point in the conflict, however, they also signal an intensification of violence with civilians caught in the crossfire.
