The War Everyone Ignored:

How Sudan's Conflict Became a Humanitarian Nightmare

Debrief Africa

Journalist and activist Saeed Abdalla calls attention to the humanitarian nightmare in Sudan, March 2025

Why is Sudan a Crucial Issue?

We all remember the iconic images from the Sudanese revolution in 2019, which ended Omar al-Bashir’s regime. The Sudanese Woman in White, Alaa Salah, the image seen across the world, became a global symbol of hope for Sudan. Since then, that hope has become fractured. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeti), both relics of al-Bashir’s regime, are now locked in a brutal fight for control of Sudan. This power struggle has ignited a civil war, fueled by Sudan’s gold trade, ethnic cleansing, and territorial ambitions, redrawing the map of the nation. According to Sudanese-born writer and broadcaster Yassmin Abdel-Magied, “it is a war of opportunity, with everyone seeing what they can grab, and seeing how much they can extract from a very resource rich country.”

Sudanese civilians pay the price of civil war through displacement, famine and sexual violence, February 2025. Source: Volker Türk/Twitter

The SAF holds sway in central and northern Sudan, while the RSF has backing in the west of Sudan. While the military conflict continues to divide and conquer Sudan, its people pay the price. Over 12 million have been displaced, and nearly 7,500 civilians have been killed, not including those who have died from war-related malnutrition. According to a Human Rights Watch report, both the RSF and SAF, along with their allies, have committed widespread atrocities, including “unlawful killings, mass executions, sexual violence, and the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure.” The report also highlights the “torture of detainees, mutilation of bodies, and the decimation of Sudan’s healthcare system, while aid remains blocked.” Nearly 25 million Sudanese face famine, in dire need of aid, with 17 million children out of school, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

So, What Happened?

Where the RSF held the advantage previously, the war started to change course towards the end of 2024, as the SAF improved its military tactics and resources. In early 2025, the SAF seized control of a key RSF stronghold, a key oil refinery at Jaili, north of Khartoum, and broke a two-year siege of key land areas which the RSF had held since the war began. The SAF also regained control of northern and central Omdurman, as well as Bahri in the north. However, the battle for Khartoum continues, with street-by-street fighting between the SAF and RSF.

This turn of events can be attributed to the RSF’s struggles on multiple fronts. Logistical issues have left their resources vulnerable to attack, and infighting has erupted among RSF militants as monetary rewards dwindle. Some senior RSF officers have even defected, executing fellow militants on their way out. In an interview with me, Moses Chrispus Okello, a Senior Researcher at the Horn of Africa Security Sector Program at the Institute of Security Studies, Addis Ababa, says that the RSF’s previous successes can be attributed to support from outside actors, “allegations have been levelled at the UAE, which appear to be largely true. It is perplexing that the RSF is able to obtain precision ammunition, high tech equipment, in their parts of the conflict, when we all know that Sudan does not produce the kind of weapons that the RSF is using.”

On the other hand, SAF’s success stems from recruiting new armed groups and acquiring a wider arsenal of weapons, which they previously lacked. Russia also recently invited their foreign minister to Moscow, as they are vying for a Red Sea port. Okello goes on to highlight that the, “SAF’s armament is also a matter of interest, with the fact that Iranian drones have been seen in their areas of operation.” While both groups are backed by a wide variety of actors, with interests that are perpetuating an endless cycle of violence, Sudanese civilians have to carry the weight of that violence.

Map of the current situation in Sudan, February 2025 Source: Thomas van Linge/Twitter

Can the RSF’s Parallel Government Talks Bring Stability, or Deepen Sudan’s Crisis?

As the SAF gained ground, RSF commanders scrambled to meet in Kenya in February 2025 to declare a parallel peace and unity government. At the same time, in Sudan, RSF militants killed 433 people in White Nile State. The RSF announced plans to sign a political charter with civilian and armed groups to form a government in the territories they control. The major civilian group involved in the talks, the People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Abdel Aziz Al-Hilu, is a significant development in the constantly changing allied groups. Okello highlights this further, “there is a direct military relationship between this renewed decision and the idea of the formation of a state. This time around, the RSF has also managed to form a coalition, including with breakaway elements of Tagadum, which is a bit unfortunate.”

Okello draws attention to this not being the first talks of a parallel government, which the RSF has been attempting to establish since the civil war began in 2023, in August 2024, and again in November. These talks, held in Kenya under President William Ruto, who has close ties to the UAE, the RSF’s main backer, have sparked controversy. Simultaneously, the SAF’s government in Port Sudan announced plans to amend the constitution to establish a civilian government. Human rights groups and experts warn that these parallel talks risk further destabilising Sudan. According to Sudanese journalist and activist Saeed Abdalla, “Rather than fostering stability, these RSF parallel government talks risk further fragmentation, escalating violence, and pushing Sudan toward prolonged instability unless a broader, more inclusive political process is pursued.”

SPLM-N’s Abdelaziz Hilu with RSF’s, Abdelrahim Dagalo in Nairobi on February 18, 2025 for Sudan’s parallel government talks. Source: Sudan Tribune/Twitter

Who Are the Main Characters You Need to Know About in Sudan?

With such a complex situation unfolding, it is hard to keep track of the central players. Here are the key figures shaping Sudan’s current affairs:

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)

Who? Head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Sudan’s national military

What? Al-Burhan has led Sudan’s official government military since 2019, when Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir was overthrown. After the Sudanese revolution, he guaranteed civilian rule would prevail, but has disproven this by accumulating military strength, which has caused conflict with the RSF and various civilian alliances. The SAF has been unable to keep the RSF and other militant groups from taking over territory, until February of this month, when it started to break the 2-year siege of the RSF. According to Sudanese experts, the SAF has began increasing nationalistic and xenophobic rhetoric towards the RSF and South Sudanese, complicating an already fractured nation.

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeti)

Who? Leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group and an offshoot of Janjaweed militias

What? Prior to the Sudanese civil war, Hemeti was allied with al-Burhan. They have since become fierce rivals. Since the Sudanese civil war began in 2023, the RSF, led by Hemeti, have grown in military influence, controlling Sudan’s gold trade and key territories in Sudan. They have been accused of war crimes, including the Darfur genocide. According to the Crisis Group, “The RSF’s hostile occupation and abusive behaviour toward civilians, particularly in the Nile valley, have cost it dearly, deeply alienating communities who have gone on to form militias to fight on the army’s side.”

Regional and International Actors

Egypt: Backs the SAF and al-Burhan, as they consider him capable of bringing stability to Sudan and the region. Egypt also condemned the recent RSF parallel government talks.

United Arab Emirates (UAE): Allegedly supports the RSF, as they require Hemeti’s power over Sudan’s gold resources and livestock. Meaning, it is a purely transactional situation for them. However, the UAE recently condemned the recent RSF parallel government talks, in attempt to appear neutral.

Saudi Arabia and the United States: Attempted to mediate peace talks but obstructed by competing national interests. Saudi Arabia recently released a statement condemning the parallel government talks as well.

Russia: Is vying for a Red Sea Port.

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, leader of Sudanese Armed Forces discusses a post war transitional government, February 2025 Source: Sudan Tribune/Twitter

What Do Experts Wish More People Understood About Sudan?

Abdalla tells me that “misconceptions like ‘Sudan has always been in crisis’ or ‘it is just another civil war’ are frustrating. People need to recognize the reality of the situation and the severity of the humanitarian disaster unfolding”. A common theme among Sudanese activists is that people globally find the situation in Sudan too complicated to understand. However, if we took the time to learn, we would recognise the significance of Sudan’s geopolitical location, connecting Sub-Saharan Africa, the Arab world, the Sahel, and the Red Sea. Abdel-Magied emphasises,

“You hear this kind of language of civil war used as a way to dismiss what is actually going on, rather than understanding that what you are seeing is a movement of popular resistance. When you look at the scope of what is happening around the world, with tyranny on the rise, Sudan is an example of people trying to resist that. Rather than paying attention to their struggle, we say, let’s see how it plays out.”

On the other hand, Okello says that we often forget the war in Sudan is not just one conflict. Instead, it is a series of ongoing conflicts that predate the current civil war between the RSF and SAF. Due to this multi-conflict reality, Okello states, “The finishing line should be a country wholesomely at peace, not just an agreement between two warring factions.”

What Can You Do?

Abdel-Magied says, if we believe in international law, and want to help those standing up to oppression, Sudan is a place where you can lend your support. A distant country engulfed in war and famine might seem too far away for you to help, but I am here to tell you that here are the ways that you can help in a way that truly matters. It begins with a click, go beyond the headlines and learn what is happening in Sudan. Abdel-Magied lists resources such as Sudan Tribune, Atar Magazine, eyesonsudan.net, as a meaningful way to engage with what is happening in Sudan.

Sudan is not a forgotten war; it is simply ignored. Abdel-Magied reiterates, “we are more than just the war, and every Sudanese will tell you, we have more pyramids than Egypt. Sudanese people do not want to be pitied, and so if you want to be inspired and not fall into despair, pay attention to the incredible work being done on the ground by local Sudanese that has replaced state services. We are not to be pitied; we are to be celebrated.”