Sudanese Rapid Support Forces reportedly slay 40 individuals in a brutal assault on a refugee camp in North Darfur.
The civil war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, continues to wreak havoc in North Darfur and North Kordofan. The conflict, marked by severe civilian suffering, large-scale displacement, and systematic attacks against civilians and infrastructure, shows no signs of abating.
The war began over disputes about the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) integration into the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and control struggles, escalating into widespread fighting. The RSF controls parts of western Sudan including Darfur and South Kordofan, while the SAF holds parts of the center and east including the capital, Khartoum.
The RSF's parallel government, rejected by the UN Security Council as a threat to Sudan’s unity, remains in place. The SAF's chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, recently reshuffled the military, consolidating allied armed groups under army command to strengthen control and counter the RSF's influence. Meanwhile, the RSF continues to consolidate territorial control and political influence.
The war has displaced millions and caused at least 150,000 deaths. Over 30 million people need humanitarian aid, marking Sudan as one of the world's largest current humanitarian crises. Indiscriminate attacks on civilians and infrastructure are frequent. Notable incidents include the RSF bombing of a central prison in El Obeid (North Kordofan) on 10 May 2025, which reportedly killed 29 prisoners and injured many, and a SAF attack on Al-Mujlad hospital in West Kordofan on 21 June that killed over 40 people, including children and healthcare workers. Both sides have been accused of ethnic cleansing and targeting civilians in Darfur and Kordofan.
The Abu Shouk displacement camp, housing around 450,000 displaced people, has been repeatedly attacked during the ongoing war. The Sudan Doctors Network reported that the RSF looted the properties of the displaced people and stole their money and livestock. The displaced people ended up arriving at Khartoum and White Nile provinces last week. At least 40 people were killed and 19 injured in the attacks. No new information was provided about the attacks in the Abu Shouk displacement camp or the Resistance Committees' confirmation of the attacks.
In North Kordofan province, the RSF has been accused of displacing over 3,000 families from 66 villages since early August. The RSF targeted citizens inside their homes. Clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF occurred in el-Fasher, North Darfur, on Monday, starting at around 6 a.m. and ending in the afternoon. The Sudanese army claimed to have repelled a large-scale attack by the RSF and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy in lives and equipment.
The humanitarian situation is deteriorating due to ongoing fighting and funding cuts threatening aid reaching 11 million affected people. The UN Security Council has condemned the RSF's rival administration and urged return to ceasefire talks. However, the conflict dynamics remain complex, with both sides entrenched in their positions.
As the civil war in Sudan continues, the international community must step up efforts to alleviate the suffering of millions of displaced people and provide humanitarian aid to those in need. The ongoing conflict threatens not only the stability of Sudan but also the region as a whole.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudan-civil-war-displaces-millions-causes-150000-deaths-2023-04-15/ [2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/15/sudan-civil-war-displaces-millions-causes-150000-deaths [3] https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/06/sudan-armed-forces-attack-al-mujlad-hospital-in-west-kordofan-killing-over-40-people/ [4] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudan-army-reshuffles-military-consolidate-control-amid-war-2025-08-01/ [5] https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/08/04/sudan-armed-groups-accused-ethnic-cleansing-kordofan-darfur
- The ongoing civil war in Sudan, which was triggered by disputes over the Rapid Support Forces' integration into the Sudanese Armed Forces, has escalated into a large-scale conflict that has created one of the world's largest current humanitarian crises, affecting over 30 million people.
- As the war in Sudan continues, the international community is urging both sides to return to ceasefire talks, as the conflict dynamics remain complex and the humanitarian situation is deteriorating due to ongoing fighting and funding cuts.
- The war in Sudan, marked by indiscriminate attacks on civilians and infrastructure, has caused at least 150,000 deaths, displaced millions, and led to allegations of ethnic cleansing and targeting of civilians in Darfur and Kordofan. Recent incidents include the RSF bombing of a central prison in El Obeid and a SAF attack on Al-Mujlad hospital, both of which resulted in numerous casualties.
