deadliest conflict in Africa: brutality, suspected war crimes, and countless civilians ensnared in the turmoil
Catastrophic Civil War Tears Sudan Apart, Leaves Millions Displaced and Struggling
The prolonged conflict in Africa's largest war-stricken nation, Sudan, has left thousands of civilians dead and at least 12 million people displaced, creating the world's biggest humanitarian crisis. The cataclysmic battle for supremacy is fought between the Sudanese military, led by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), headed by his former deputy, General Mohammed Hamdan Daglo Mousa, commonly known as Hemedti.
The military, controlled by General Burhan, and the RSF are accused of war crimes, including ethnic cleansing and using chemical weapons, with the United States imposing sanctions against the Sudanese government. Meanwhile, the RSF denies accusations of crimes against humanity in the country where more than two-thirds of the population - over 30.4 million people - require humanitarian assistance.
In an interview with NBC News, Abeir Abdelrahman, seven months pregnant, shared her terrifying experience of fleeing her home in Khartoum, as RSF gunmen overran her neighborhood in September 2023, five months after the fighting erupted. Trekking south for days, she lost contact with her 63-year-old father, who was later arrested by RSF forces at a checkpoint. After surviving a harrowing ordeal that included 35 days in captivity, Abdelrahman returned home with her newborn daughter, Samiya.
Amr Ali, a 39-year-old IT worker and freelance photographer, was caught in the crossfire in eastern Khartoum. As the fighting neared his home, he hid from bullets and rockets for days before being surrounded by RSF members who accused him of being a soldier. He recalled being subjected to beatings and mock executions before being released after 10 days, with severe injuries.
In Omdurman, Natasha, a British mother of four, and Asmaa, her 70-year-old mother-in-law, witnessed the law and order disintegrate as armed gangs rampaged through their neighborhood, stealing and killing residents. After her 12-year-old son's friend was shot by a sniper, Natasha decided to flee, narrowly escaping RSF checkpoints alongside her mother-in-law.
To date, the SAF has made significant advances against the RSF in several areas, recapturing parts of Khartoum and other strategic locations. However, the RSF maintains control in Darfur and continues violent attacks on SAF-controlled enclaves. The conflict, marred by atrocities like ethnic cleansing, rape, and killings, has led to a humanitarian crisis of massive proportions. Over 24.6 million people, accounting for half the population, face acute hunger. Despite increased calls for aid and diplomatic intervention, the situation remains dire, with ongoing violence and strained humanitarian efforts.
- The prolonged conflict in Sudan, a nation with a capital severely impacted by war-and-conflicts, has led to a policy-and-legislation response from external powers, with the United States imposing sanctions against the Sudanese government due to allegations of war crimes.
- Amid the general-news coverage of the civil war's devastating impact, stories of individual struggles emerge, such as Abeir Abdelrahman, a pregnant woman displaced from her home in Khartoum, who experienced crimes-and-justice issues while seeking safety and justice during the conflict.
- Meanwhile, the ongoing war-and-conflicts in Sudan have distorted the country's political landscape, with armed gangs rampaging through neighborhoods and committing heinous acts like stealing and killing residents, demonstrating the profound influence of politics on the people's livelihood and well-being.
