October 2024 – Sudan, a nation once full of promise, is now gripped by one of the most severe humanitarian crises in living memory. Over a year of relentless civil war has plunged the country into chaos, leaving millions in desperate need of aid.
Clashes erupted on April 15, 2023, in the capital city of Khartoum between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). What began in the heart of the nation quickly spread, engulfing 15 of Sudan’s 18 states in brutal conflict. Only the northern and eastern states have been spared direct fighting.
According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), the war has claimed over 28,700 lives as of mid-December. Major battlegrounds include the capital region and the western Darfur area, where the RSF holds significant control. Central regions like Gezira and Sennar, vital for grain production, have also become hotspots, further threatening the nation’s food security.
The conflict has effectively split Sudan along a west-east axis. The RSF dominates much of the west, while the SAF controls the east and north. Attempts at ceasefire talks mediated by international actors have repeatedly failed, with both sides unwilling to compromise. The nation’s fragmentation is deepening, raising fears of a complete national disintegration.
A Humanitarian Catastrophe
The war’s toll on civilians is staggering:
- Economic Devastation: Approximately 90% of industrial facilities have been damaged. The economy shrank by 40% in 2023 and is projected to contract by another 28% in 2024.
- Displacement Crisis: Over 12 million people have been displaced internally, with more than 3 million fleeing to neighboring countries like Chad and South Sudan.
- Food Insecurity: More than half the population—25.6 million people—are experiencing severe food shortages. Only 5% can access a full daily meal, and acute malnutrition affects over 30% of children under five.
- Healthcare Collapse: Over half of Sudan’s hospitals are non-operational. Diseases like malaria, cholera, dengue fever, and measles are spreading unchecked.
- Education Crisis: More than 10,000 schools have closed, leaving over 19 million children without formal education.
The International Rescue Committee reports that 30.4 million people—10% of the global total of those needing aid—are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in Sudan.
Calls for International Attention
“We are calling on the world to wake up and help Sudan out of the nightmare it is living through,” pleaded WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during his visit in September 2024.
Despite these urgent appeals, the international community’s response has been limited. As 2025 looms, the conflict shows no sign of ending, and millions of Sudanese people continue to suffer in silence. Their hope for peace remains a distant dream.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
