Forgotten suffering: the violence in Sudan is never-ending

Situation escalates - Forgotten suffering: the violence in Sudan is never-ending

An escalating conflict, flight, displacement and violence against the civilian population have given Sudan a sad top spot for 2024: The International Rescue Committee (IRC), which compiles a list of humanitarian crises at the end of each year that should be paid attention to in the following year, puts the country in north-east Africa in first place. However, the IRC fears that Sudan is losing focus in light of the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Yet, as Sudanese analyst Kholod Khair points out, the conflict in Sudan has an impact on a whole range of regions from the Red Sea to the Sahel region and the Mediterranean due to its geographical location.

Conflict in Sudan - a battle between two ex-allies

Under the leadership of de facto head of state Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the armed forces have been fighting since mid-April against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a quasi-army formed from militias and led by former deputy ruler Mohammed Hamdan Daglo. The two men were once allies who had jointly seized power after the fall of Sudan's long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

The conflict for power in Sudan is having a severe impact on the civilian population, particularly in the capital Khartoum and in the western region of Darfur. According to UN figures, more than seven million people in the country are on the run. Both parties to the conflict are accused of war crimes, especially the RSF. "Both have destroyed their country. They must finally listen: Enough is enough," emphasized Mike Hammer, the US special envoy for the region.

Today's RSF - at that time still Arab cavalry militias - gained sad notoriety in connection with the genocide in Darfur against a predominantly black population. According to observers, the militia is supported by the United Arab Emirates.

Confusion surrounding conflict leader Daglo

Various initiatives for a ceasefire have failed. Now a new attempt is to be made in Djibouti to achieve direct talks between al-Burhan and Daglo and a cessation of fighting, mediated by the international community IGAD. At times, there was even speculation as to whether Daglo was still alive at all, as he had not been seen in public for so long.

For a few days now, however, Daglo has been on a diplomatic visit tour - last week Wednesday, a photo was published showing him with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. During a visit to Nairobi, the militia leader was then treated almost like a hope for peace: Kenya appreciates the efforts of the RSF and its leader to "resolve the conflict in Sudan through dialog," wrote Kenyan President William Ruto on the X platform (formerly Twitter). There was no mention of the serious crimes of which the RSF is accused.

Sanctuary becomes a trap

Meanwhile, RSF fighters have advanced into the state of Jezira, south-east of Khartoum, in recent weeks. There was panic in the regional capital of Wad Madani, to which around half a million people had fled at the time. Bus fares out of the city exploded. Many people tried to flee on foot - without always knowing where to go.

"We fear that Wad Madani, once considered a safe haven for people fleeing extreme violence in Khartoum, is turning into another death trap," warned Pierre Dorbes, head of the International Red Cross (ICRC) Committee delegation in Sudan, recently.

Helpless aid workers - the supply situation is becoming increasingly critical

With the advance of the RSF, what the IRC had warned about in 2024 has already happened. The Jezira region is considered Sudan's breadbasket and the grain grown there is important for supplying the population. Due to the consequences of climate change, the food situation was already very tense. In the meantime, aid workers from the UN Food Program (WFP), for example, can no longer reach the people in Wad Madani. In Darfur, only a small part of the population can be supplied with food by convoys from neighboring Chad. Most of those in need are cut off from the aid system.

"Eight months since the conflict began, it is getting harder and harder to find a safe place in Sudan," warns Arif Noor, Country Director of the aid organization Save the Children. In Wad Madani alone, around 350,000 children are living in fear of being abducted by gunmen or subjected to sexual violence. Thousands of schools in the country have been closed for months because refugees have taken refuge there. "There is chaos and mass death in Sudan," says Noor. "They see things that no child should see."

New atrocities in Darfur

This is particularly true of the situation in Darfur. Aid organizations report arbitrary shootings of civilians, looting, which also affects hospitals, and systematic sexual violence, especially against women and girls. The African Center for Peace Studies (ACJPS) speaks of a "war against women", especially on the part of the RSF and allied militias. In a report on the situation in Darfur, Mohammed Osman from the human rights organization Human Rights Watch also speaks of atrocities and mass murders against the Massalit ethnic group.