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Understanding the Sudan Conflict
Written and Researched By: Nandana Jeevan
Published By: Meredith Yuen
Published: 3rd November 2025
Amidst the chaos of Sudan’s latest conflict, a humanitarian crisis unfolds, revealing the urgent struggles of a nation facing significant upheaval.
Historical Context
Sudan has endured a long history of conflict and chronic instability due to numerous civil wars and widespread ethnic tension within the nation. The Republic of Sudan was officially formed in early 1956 after gaining independence from British-Egyptian rule, a transition that exposed deep divisions among various ethnic groups (Collins, 2023).
Following this, the nation experienced the First (1955-1972) and the Second (1983-2005) Sudanese Civil Wars, compelled by rising tensions between the Northern, predominantly Arab government and the diverse, multi-ethnic Southern communities (Welliver, 2023). Despite the formation of peace agreements that offered a temporary reprieve, the larger underlying tensions still remained unresolved. This culminated in the secession of South Sudan in 2011, following an overwhelming vote in favor of the separation from the Republic of Sudan (Manby, 2012).
(NBC News, 1 hand or 2?, In this Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011, file photo, pro-separation activists hold signs and chant pro-independence slogans outside the Juba airport in southern Sudan, where Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir arrived. Separation or unity. A solitary hand or two of them clasped together. That's the choice—and the ballot image—that close to 4 million registered voters in Southern Sudan will face beginning Sunday, when a seven-day referendum on separation from the Khartoum-based north begins. The vote, which is likely to lead to the world's newest country, is the culmination of a 2005 peace deal that ended 20-plus years of north-south civil war., AP Photo/Pete Muller/file)
The Darfur Genocide (2003-05) was the organized killing and torture of the ethnic Darfuri people in western Sudan. The brutality was a result of tribal/ethnic differences within the region, which led to resentment from non-Arab populations. The Sudanese government exploited these differences by aiding Arab militia groups (known as the Janjaweed) in attacking the ethnic African groups (Holocaust Museum, n.d.). As a result, an estimated 300,000 civilians were killed, and the crisis was recognized as a genocide under the United Nations Genocide Convention in 2004. The 2023 civil conflict is seen as a continuation of the instability rooted in the Darfur War and subsequent political turmoil.
The Current Civil War (2023– Present)
Sudan entered a civil war in April of 2023 following rising tensions between two factions of the Military Government of Sudan. The conflict primarily involves the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which are the official military forces of Sudan led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The RSF originates from and is primarily composed of the notorious Janjaweed militia, who previously fought on behalf of the Sudanese government (Volle, 2025).
(Al Jazeera, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemedti' Dagalo, left, and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, right, File: Getty Images)
Leading up to the 2023 conflict, the negotiations between the SAF and RSF repeatedly broke down over unresolved political disagreements. A key catalyst for the war was the disagreement over the integration of the RSF into the Sudanese military. Significant points of contention included the role that RSF officers would play in the future military structure and disagreements surrounding how quickly the integration would take place (Al Jazeera English, 2023).
The escalating tensions between the two factions led to violent clashes on 11th April 2023, following the RSF’s seizure of the Soba base in Khartoum. Two days later, on 13th April, the RSF began mobilizing its forces across several regions, instilling a growing sense of threat within the SAF (Booty & Chothia, 2025). These developments reached a critical point on 15th April, when the RSF launched a coordinated attack on multiple SAF bases across Sudan (Savage, 2024). The confrontation, known as the Battle of Khartoum, resulted in a significant number of casualties and the widespread destruction of the capital.
Humanitarian Crisis
This conflict has plunged Sudan into what the UN describes as “one of the worst humanitarian nightmares in recent history,” as the country’s civil war reaches its third year (Savage, 2024). Currently an estimated 25 million people are facing food insecurity due to the collapse of basic services, making food unaffordable for many households. Humanitarian efforts such as trucks and food are unable to access vulnerable areas, owing to the ongoing violence and road blockages that hinder the movement of supplies. In some regions of North Darfur, some citizens are reportedly relying on animal fodder and food waste in order to survive. According to WFP’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Eric Perdison, “Without immediate and sustained access, lives will be lost” (World Food Programme, 2025).
The World Health Organization's Public Health Situation Analysis (PHSA) has reported that disease outbreaks, including cholera, malaria, and measles, are increasing in the face of disruptions to public health services. A number of health facilities and vaccination centers have been destroyed, looted, or are functioning with a critical shortage of staff and supplies. With the Humanitarian Needs Response Plan (HNRP), an estimated 20.3 million individuals have been identified in need of humanitarian health assistance. Without this, Sudan faces high levels of excess morbidity that will significantly impact population rates (World Health Organization, 2025).
(United Nations, Sudanese refugees shelter under trees in villages of neighbouring Chad. (file), UNHCR/Aristophane Ngargoune)
The Way Forward
As a result of the humanitarian crises, various humanitarian committees have scaled up their humanitarian efforts, despite immense challenges. Representatives for the United Nations, such as Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Paula Gaviria, are demanding urgent action to rectify the grave violations. They urged nations to guarantee accountability for violations ‘through universal jurisdiction and international mechanisms,’ while also providing immediate assistance to displaced individuals (United Nations, 2025). According to the World Health Organization’s 2025 Humanitarian Needs Response Plan, an estimate of USD $262.3 million is required to effectively address ongoing humanitarian challenges and deliver relief to affected populations (World Health Organization, 2025).
The growing call for accountability shows an important shift, a deepening awareness that humanitarian aid alone cannot address the root causes of suffering. For there to be meaningful change, a commitment to justice and protecting civilians is required, forcing an end to the endless cycles of violence.
Glossary/Notes
Civil War: A conflict between groups within the same country or state
Secession: The act of withdrawing from an organization, typically a state or country, to form an independent state
Militia: A militia is a group of armed civilians organized for military service, often to support the regular armed forces or to provide local defense
Paramilitary: A unit that is not part of the regular military but are trained and equipped to function similarly
Mobilizing: Involves organizing resources, including military forces or civilian populations, for engagement in a conflict
Fodder: Typically refers to food, especially dried hay or feed, given to livestock.
Universal Jurisdiction: A legal principle that allows nations to prosecute individuals or groups for serious crimes, such as war crimes or crimes against humanity
References
(n.d.). History of Sudan - Wikipedia. Retrieved October 20, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Sudan
Al Jazeera English (Director). (2023). 2023 in Review: How close is Sudan to civil war? | The Take [Film]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpi9YAR42L0
Booty, N., & Chothia, F. (2025, July 4). Sudan war: A simple guide to what is happening. BBC. Retrieved October 20, 2025, from https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjel2nn22z9o
Collins, R. O. (2023, 8 2). History of Sudan | Events, People, Dates, Map & Facts. Britannica. Retrieved October 20, 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Sudan
Holocaust Museum. (n.d.). Genocide in Darfur. Holocaust Museum Houston. Retrieved October 20, 2025, from https://hmh.org/library/research/genocide-in-darfur-guide/
Manby, B. (2012, 6). The Right to a Nationality and the Secession of South Sudan: A Commentary on the Impact of the New Laws. Open Society Foundations. Retrieved 10 20, 2025, from https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/publications/right-nationality-and-secession-south-sudan-commentary-impact-new-laws
Savage, R. (2024, March 22). Sudan's civil war: how did it begin, what is the human cost, and what is happening now? The Guardian. Retrieved October 20, 2025, from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/mar/22/what-caused-the-civil-war-in-sudan-and-how-has-it-become-one-of-the-worlds-worst-humanitarian-crises
Sudanese civil war (2023–present) - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved October 20, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudanese_civil_war_(2023%E2%80%93present) #Background
United Nations. (2025, 10 3). UN experts demand urgent action to protect civilians in Sudan as conflict intensifies. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/10/un-experts-demand-urgent-action-protect-civilians-sudan-conflict-intensifies
Volle, A. (2025, 6 5). Rapid Support Forces (RSF) | Leader, SAF, Sudan & Support. Britannica. Retrieved October 20, 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rapid-Support-Forces
Welliver, T. (2023). First Sudanese Civil War Erupts | Research Starters. EBSCO. Retrieved October 20, 2025, from https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/first-sudanese-civil-war-erupts
World Food Programme. (2025, August 13). WFP calls for humanitarian access, as Sudanese city grapples with starvation | World Food Programme. WFP. Retrieved October 29, 2025, from https://www.wfp.org/stories/wfp-calls-humanitarian-access-sudanese-city-grapples-starvation
World Health Organization. (2025, 3 10). Public Health Situation Analysis: Sudan conflict. World Health Organization, (3), 37. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/2021-dha-docs/20250310_phsa_sudan-conflict.pdf?sfvrsn=d1b69fc1_3&download=true
