The brutal civil war gripping Sudan has reached a horrifying new stage. Satellite imagery reveals bloodstains visible from space around El Fasher, the capital of Darfur, after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) finally seized control following an 18-month siege. This siege trapped some 150,000 civilians who endured unimaginable hardship, relying on rainwater and animal feed for survival while enduring a total communication blackout.
Though harrowing details emerge from geolocated social media posts and satellite imagery, the full extent of the atrocities in El Fasher remains shrouded in secrecy. This conflict echoes the Darfur genocide of the early 2000s, where the RSF committed ethnic-based massacres against the same communities now under attack. However, the current civil war threatens to surpass even that tragedy in terms of violence, displacement, and disease. Tragically, Sudan’s famine — considered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis — receives insufficient attention and funding. While an estimated 400,000 have died over two years of conflict, pinpointing the exact toll is impossible.
Negotiations for a fragile humanitarian truce are ongoing, yet a resolution seems distant. The scale of devastation unfolding across Sudan demands urgent understanding. Here’s what we know:
How Sudan Arrived at This Brink
Just six years ago, Sudan held promise for democratic transition. In 2018, anger over tripled bread prices sparked by the removal of subsidies ignited mass protests against longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir. His regime collapsed in April 2019 after three decades, paving the way for a civilian-military transitional council.
However, as the deadline for full civilian rule approached in 2021, two generals, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (head of the Sudanese army) and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (commander of the RSF), staged a coup to prevent power transfer. Al-Bashir had notoriously employed the RSF to carry out atrocities in Darfur two decades earlier. Their joint military rule quickly crumbled as they battled for control. In April 2023, the RSF launched an assault on Khartoum, unleashing the bloody conflict that rages today.
The Catastrophic Reality
The human cost is staggering: over 12 million people displaced — a quarter of Sudan’s population — and widespread famine afflicting nearly half the country. Both sides stand accused of war crimes.
El Fasher epitomizes this suffering. The RSF erected earthen walls, severing the city from aid for 18 months. Now that they’ve breached those walls, reports paint a chilling picture: mass killings, including an attack on a maternity hospital where over 450 people died; accounts of rape, extortion, and widespread use of mass graves. Survivors arrive in neighboring areas so dehydrated they cannot speak, according to aid workers.
Why Won’t the Violence End?
Several factors contribute to this ongoing tragedy. The United Arab Emirates has supplied the RSF with advanced weaponry and mercenaries in exchange for gold, livestock, and farmland. This international support fuels the conflict. Concurrently, the global community has largely remained passive as power struggles intensify between Sudan’s warring factions over military control. Notably, the US has failed to halt arms sales to the UAE despite its role in prolonging the war.
The Quad (the USA, UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia) have attempted a ceasefire agreement for months but with limited success. While the RSF tentatively agreed to a new deal after international outrage over El Fasher’s bloodbath, Sudan’s military — backed by Egypt — refuses to commit unless the RSF surrenders its arms. Given this impasse, a swift end to fighting appears unlikely.
How You Can Help
In a crisis where access to aid is severely restricted, your support can make a tangible difference:
* Support Aid Organizations: Donate to groups like the Norwegian Refugee Council, Sudanese American Physicians Association, Save the Children, and UNICEF, which are working tirelessly on the ground to provide food, shelter, medical care, and essential supplies.
The international community’s belated response mirrors past indifference toward Darfur. Now, more than ever, individual contributions and voices can amplify pressure for a peaceful resolution and alleviate the suffering of Sudanese civilians caught in this horrifying conflict.
