KHARTOUM: The unfolding conflict in Sudan, spanning six months, has proven to be a devastating chapter in the nation’s history, resulting in an estimated death toll of up to 9,000 people and catapulting the country into what the United Nations humanitarian chief has described as “one of the worst humanitarian nightmares in recent history.”
The strife erupted in Sudan in mid-April and has relentlessly persisted since then, pitting the country’s military against a powerful paramilitary group. The origins of the conflict lie in simmering tensions between Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the military chief, and Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. These tensions ultimately escalated into an open warfare that has spared no respite for civilians.
UN Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths, in a statement marking the six-month anniversary of the war, underlined the grim realities facing the people of Sudan. The conflict has been marked by unrelenting violence, with reports of rape and sexual violence adding to the horrors endured by the population.
While the initial hostilities centered in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, they swiftly spread to other regions across the East African nation, including the already conflict-ridden western Darfur region. The consequences of this protracted conflict are profound. Up to 9,000 lives have been lost, and millions of people have been displaced from their homes, seeking refuge in safer areas inside Sudan or in neighboring countries.
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The ramifications of the conflict have reverberated throughout the region. Communities have been torn apart, and vulnerable populations find themselves without access to life-saving aid. The neighboring countries that have received millions of refugees are now grappling with mounting humanitarian needs. According to the UN’s migration agency IOM, over 4.5 million people have been displaced within Sudan, while more than 1.2 million others have sought refuge in neighboring countries.
Furthermore, the conflict has left a staggering 25 million people, which accounts for more than half of Sudan’s population, in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Adding to the unfolding calamity, a cholera outbreak has been reported in the capital and other areas of the country, with over 1,000 suspected cases detected in Khartoum and the provinces of Kordofan and Qadarif.
The Greater Khartoum area, encompassing the cities of Khartoum, Omdurman, and Khartoum North, has been transformed into a battleground, with densely populated areas bearing the brunt of airstrikes and shelling. The conflict has been marred by reports of rape and gang rape, particularly in Khartoum and Darfur, with much of the blame being directed at the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF and its allied Arab militias have also faced allegations of atrocities in Darfur, which was the scene of a genocidal campaign in the early 2000s.
The recent atrocities in Darfur prompted the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor to declare in July that he was investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the latest phase of fighting in the region.
