A civil war in Sudan has resulted in the deaths of approximately 150,000 people and displaced more than 11 million others, prompting the U.S. government to declare that genocide has been committed by the Rapid Support Forces (R.S.F.), an ethnic Arab militia involved in the conflict.
The ongoing war, which has lasted 21 months, has drawn in various foreign nations and armed groups, raising concerns about its potential to spill over Sudan's borders. Thousands have died as a result of ethnic cleansing campaigns, with reports of widespread sexual violence against women and girls, and millions facing hunger—marking the world's first officially declared famine since 2020.
The United Nations has characterized the situation in Sudan as the largest displacement crisis globally, describing it as a “living nightmare,” according to Amy Pope, director general of the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration.
The conflict began in April 2023 when Sudanese army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and R.S.F. commander Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan, who were once allies, turned against each other. The R.S.F. is seen as a continuation of the Janjaweed militia, which was responsible for mass killings in Darfur two decades ago, leading to genocide charges against former Sudanese ruler Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken stated that the R.S.F. and allied militias have committed new acts of genocide against the Masalit people, a non-Arab ethnic minority. Reports indicate that a mass grave containing 87 bodies, primarily of Masalit individuals, was discovered in July 2023, suggesting killings by the R.S.F.
Estimates of the death toll from the conflict vary significantly. The American envoy to Sudan previously suggested that the death toll could reach 150,000, while a recent U.N. report indicated that between 10,000 to 15,000 people were killed in massacres in El Geneina, West Darfur, in December 2023 alone.
As of July 2023, the World Health Organization reported at least 33,000 injuries due to the fighting, a figure that is likely to have increased since then.
More than 11.5 million Sudanese, nearly one-quarter of the population, have been displaced, with over 3.3 million fleeing to neighboring countries such as Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan. The U.N. report indicated that over half of those displaced are children, many living in dire conditions with limited access to food and water.
The situation worsened in October 2023, when over 135,000 people were displaced in El Gezira state due to a surge in violence. Mohamed Ahmed, deputy head of the Doctors Without Borders mission in Sudan, described the situation as one of desperation.
In terms of food security, around 25.6 million people—more than half of Sudan's population—are facing crisis-level hunger conditions in 2024, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. This marks the highest levels of food insecurity ever recorded in the country.
Last year, famine was officially declared at the Zamzam camp for displaced persons in Darfur, where estimates indicated that 13 children were dying daily due to malnutrition. The healthcare system in Sudan is severely strained, with two-thirds of hospitals in conflict areas closed and numerous attacks on healthcare workers documented since the onset of the war.
Children are particularly vulnerable, suffering from preventable diseases that exacerbate malnutrition, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian aid and healthcare resources in the region.