The forces of two rival generals have ravaged Sudan for more than a year, unleashing a wave of violence that has driven 9.2 million people from their homes and created the world’s largest displacement crisis.
If the fighting does not stop soon, Sudan could be hit by a devastating famine affecting millions of people, United Nations officials warn. But the conflict is unlikely to end in the near future.
The war has already reorganized the country with breathtaking speed. The capital, Khartoum, was transformed into a charred battlefield of bullet-riddled buildings and bodies buried in shallow graves.
More than a third of Sudan’s 48 million people are acutely hungry and nearly 230,000 malnourished children could die in the coming months if they do not receive food and health care, according to senior officials. responsible. told the United Nations Security Council in March.
Dozens of hospitals and clinics have been closed, according to aid workers. Schools and universities are closed in a country that once attracted many foreign students. Looting is widespread, with hundreds of banks robbed and thousands of cars stolen.
Atrocities continue to increase in Darfur, the western region ravaged by two decades of violence. The civilians were beaten down, relief camps and houses burned and refugees are fleeing en masse across the border with Chadmany vow never to return home again.
According to Tom Perriello, the US envoy for Sudan, as many as 150,000 people may have died from war-related causes, although precise figures are difficult to establish as the Sudanese state is rapidly collapsing.
Of those forced to flee their homes, 7.1 million remain in Sudan, according to the United Nations refugee agency. The other 2.1 million fled to neighboring countries, including South Sudan, Chad, EgyptEthiopia and the Central African Republic.
Continued clashes between the two generals’ competing forces – the regular army and a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces – have also dashed hopes that Sudan will soon usher in civilian rule.
Here’s a look at what’s happening in Sudan.
What is the state of the fighting?
The Rapid Support Forces dominate much of Khartoum, the capital, where fighting began in April 2023, as well as much of Darfur, the western region where the group’s leaders are from.
In December, RSF also captured Wad Madanithe granary capital of the state of El Gezira, constitutes a major setback for the army.
But the pendulum swung back in February when the army retook the center of Omdurman, one of three towns that make up the greater Khartoum urban area. The army also controls most of northern and eastern Sudan, including Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
The fiercest battles are taking place now Darfurwhere the Rapid Support Forces were accused of many atrocities. THE a paramilitary group had surrounded El Fasherthe last town in Darfur still in army hands, sparking loud warnings of a possible ethnic massacre.
Diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire, including some led by the United States, have been unsuccessful. Aid agencies are struggling to deliver aid, citing fighting, threats, blocked roads and tax demands.
HAS high-level donor conference in Paris in April, international donors promised more than two billion euros (or more than 2.1 billion dollars) in aid to Sudan. But by June, the United Nations said, they had increased only $430 million of the $2.7 billion he needs for Sudan.
Who are the rival generals?
Before that, General al-Burhan was commander of the regional army in Darfurwhere 300,000 people were killed and millions more displaced in fighting from 2003 to 2008 that drew global condemnation.
After civilians and soldiers signed a power-sharing agreement In 2019, General al-Burhan became chairman of the Sovereignty Council, a body created to oversee Sudan’s transition to democratic rule. But as the date for the transfer of power to civilians approached in late 2021, he appeared reluctant to relinquish power.
General al-Burhan’s main rival is Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan, who heads the country’s army Rapid Support Forcesa powerful paramilitary group.
Of humble origins, General Hamdan, widely known as Hemeti, rose to prominence as the commander of the notorious Janjaweed militias, responsible for the worst atrocities of the Darfur conflict.
In October 2021, General al-Burhan and General Hamdan united to take power in a military coup, making them the leader and deputy leader of Sudan. But they quickly argued.
Many diplomats, notably American, attempted to negotiate an agreement between the two generals this would see them return power to civilians.
However, they could not agree on how quickly the rapid support forces would be absorbed into the army. In April 2023, after months of growing tensions, their troops surrendered war against each other.
Both leaders have traveled outside Sudan over the past year to seek political support. General al-Burhan addressed the United Nations General Assembly, while General Hamdan traveled to several African countries. In a speech last April, General al-Burhan said his forces were determined to fight until victory.
Why are many other countries involved in the conflict?
Sudan, the third largest African country in terms of surface area, occupies a pivotal position on the continent. It has about 500 miles of coastline on the Red Sea, one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. It is one of the largest gold producers in Africa and its position on the Nile gives it enormous agricultural potential.
It also shares borders with seven countries – the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya and South Sudan – many of which also border. threatened by instability.
As the war drags on, foreign powers become involved, sending weapons or fighters in hopes of supporting the victor.
The greatest external influence is that of the United Arab Emirates, which has secretly weapons provided to paramilitary forces through a base in Chad, the Times reported. The Emiratis, who deny supporting any party, say their operation is purely humanitarian.
Wagner’s Russian mercenaries also supported the RSF with weapons in the early months of the war, according to U.N. and Sudanese officials. This prompted Ukraine to send special forces who allegedly carried out operations alongside the Sudanese army in Khartoum.
But since Wagner was officially disbanded last year, the Russian government has warmed relations with the Sudanese military. In May, a The general-in-chief said Sudan could allow Russia access to its Red Sea coast in exchange for arms.
Sudan’s military is already receiving armed drones from Iran, according to Western and Sudanese officials – a key factor in the military’s recent victories, but one that has sparked concern in Washington, officials say.
