As Sudan’s brutal civil war enters its third year, international aid organizations and the United Nations are warning that the country is now experiencing the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis.
With more than half of the population—nearly 25 million people—in need of urgent assistance, Sudan is facing catastrophic levels of hunger, mass displacement, and unchecked violence, particularly in the Darfur region. Aid agencies report the conflict has surpassed all previous crises in terms of scale and devastation.
The conflict, which began in April 2023, pits the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Recent attacks by the RSF on camps for internally displaced people in North Darfur have reportedly left hundreds dead and forced hundreds of thousands to flee once again. The UN has verified at least 148 deaths, while some reports suggest the death toll could exceed 400 in the latest assaults.
Human rights groups have described widespread violations of international humanitarian law, including killings, looting, and the systematic targeting of civilians. “Sudan is breaking all the wrong records,” said a regional representative of Oxfam. “It is now the world’s largest displacement, hunger, and humanitarian crisis combined.”
El Fasher, the last major city in Darfur not under RSF control, has come under intense bombardment. Camps such as Zamzam and Abu Shouk, which shelter tens of thousands of displaced families, are now battlegrounds. Up to 400,000 people have reportedly fled Zamzam alone in the last week.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, condemned the latest atrocities and warned that international inaction has allowed the conflict to escalate with devastating consequences for civilians. “These attacks are a stark reminder of what happens when the world looks away,” he said.
Despite symbolic gains by the military in reclaiming parts of Khartoum, including the presidential palace, the wider country remains locked in violent stalemate. The RSF continues to expand in western and southern regions, while millions remain trapped between the warring sides.
A London conference hosted by the UK government this week seeks to reinvigorate diplomatic efforts, but observers say Sudan remains overshadowed by other global conflicts. “There is a silence around Sudan that borders on abandonment,” said a spokesperson from the World Food Programme. “It is not forgotten—it is being ignored.”
Sudan’s descent into war began in the wake of the 2019 ouster of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir. His fall sparked a brief civilian-led transitional period, but tensions between army leader Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF chief Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemedti) exploded into war in 2023. The RSF, whose roots trace back to the notorious Janjaweed militias, has since been accused of ethnic massacres and gender-based violence, particularly against the Masalit community in Darfur.
Both the SAF and RSF have been implicated in war crimes. Earlier this year, the United States officially designated the RSF’s actions in Darfur as genocide—marking the second such declaration in Sudan’s modern history.
Allegations of foreign interference have added fuel to the fire, with reports suggesting the United Arab Emirates may have supplied weapons to the RSF, a claim the UAE denies.
As fighting continues and international efforts struggle to gain momentum, Sudan’s people remain caught in a spiraling crisis, with no end in sight.