Sudan is currently grappling with an intensifying civil war, now in its third year, which has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis.
The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has led to tens of thousands of deaths and approximately 12 million people displaced. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported a significant increase in civilian casualties during the first half of 2025, with 3,384 documented deaths. This figure represents 80% of the total civilian fatalities recorded in 2024. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk has described the situation as a "forgotten crisis," highlighting widespread atrocity crimes, including war crimes.
The conflict is characterized by a disturbing rise in ethnic violence, with indiscriminate attacks and retaliatory actions against perceived collaborators. A new and alarming trend is the use of drones targeting civilian areas, particularly in Sudan's northern and eastern regions. Famine conditions have been confirmed in parts of Darfur and southern Sudan, such as the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, where hundreds of thousands of lives are at risk.
Despite international efforts to broker a ceasefire, spearheaded by the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, diplomatic resolutions have remained elusive. Russia's veto of a UN Security Council resolution in November 2024, which called for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access, drew strong international criticism. The conflict's ramifications are extending beyond Sudan's borders, with significant regional implications, including an RSF attack on South Sudan's SPLM-IO rebel group in March 2025, raising concerns about wider regional destabilization.
As of September 2025, the outlook for Sudan remains grim, with no immediate end to the violence in sight. The international community continues to call for an end to the hostilities and for concerted action to address the profound humanitarian catastrophe unfolding within the nation.