The heart-wrenching and devastating news and photos emerging from Sudan due to the ongoing conflict paint a picture of a severe humanitarian crisis.

Described by the United Nations as one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, Sudan’s story – sharing similar flag colors and an emblematic resemblance with Palestine, though differing in complexity – reflects the international community’s failure to address the conflict on time before it has escalated.

While one may argue that resolving such issues is not an easy feat, Sudan’s history of coups since 1958, particularly those involving military forces, reveals a consistent pattern of unstable governance. The country’s past, which eventually led to the secession and formation of South Sudan, further highlights this instability.

Given Sudan’s abundance of natural resources, such as oil and gold, one might question whether it is becoming a marker of protracted conflict like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, coupled with unstable governance akin to Somalia. This ultimately begs the question: Is Sudan on the verge of becoming a failed state?

History of conflict

What many might see as a tussle between two groups – the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – is, in reality, a struggle where both have lost legitimacy, despite their roles in the 2019 coup and revolution that ousted long-standing President Omar al-Bashir. The civilian population feels a deep sense of betrayal, having been trapped in a civil war in Sudan for the past two and a half years.

The revolution, which was meant to mark a new beginning, left a leadership vacuum in Sudan, with no established political party, opposition or ready leader to guide the transition. The head of the SAF, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, capitalized on this situation and agreed to form a military-civilian government intended to steer the country toward a fully fledged civilian rule in the near future. Although the two rivals were entrusted to lead Sudan under an 11-member transitional government, they were also seen as complicit in the Darfur Massacres, which had been ongoing in western Sudan for over two decades under al-Bashir’s directive. However, their eventual betrayal of al-Bashir, who had gained international notoriety to the extent of being issued arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2009 and 2010 for crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur, gave civilians a glimmer of hope for better governance.

Despite the two having a hand in the change of government, entrusting them with instruments of power under the transitional government seemed inevitable. Given both their history with al-Bashir – first as allies and later as betrayers – there was no guarantee that they would have the interests of civilians at heart. The ascension of the RSF and SAF to greater power was due to al-Bashir’s fear of being toppled. Therefore, the coup-proofing measures he had used to protect himself had failed. Despite the damage being done, he bred the RSF as an extension of the Janjaweed, an Arab militia group in Sudan with a history of atrocities, murder and rape, especially in the Darfur region.

The SAF, on the other hand, being the official military of Sudan, was bolstered. Giving less importance to the socio-economic and environmental crises (drought and famine) in Sudan, the two over time grew stronger, forming links with international networks, and their thirst for power drove their desire to control certain territories. Consequently, they both established strong backing with military equipment and other resources through their respective allies, which has today precipitated a humanitarian crisis, fueling the ongoing conflict.

Crimes against humanity

Tied to ethnic cleansing in regions such as Darfur, Bara and el-Fasher, the disheartening images paint a picture of lost humanity, with both the SAF and RSF committing crimes against humanity in Sudan. Prior to the war that erupted in 2023, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) issued an impending warning about the catastrophic effects of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. At the time, 15.8 million people were facing humanitarian crises, and by 2025, that number had doubled to 30.4 million, accounting for half of Sudan’s population.

Among the war crimes occurring are the mass murder of civilians, the recruitment of child soldiers, and sexual violence against women and children. The IRC reports the displacement of 400,000 people, especially from el-Fasher, which has been heavily affected by the ongoing conflict. While many seek refuge in the neighboring Tawila area, 12 million people have been displaced in total, and 4 million have fled to neighboring countries such as the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Chad since the onset of the war in 2023.

The health care system has collapsed, with 70%-80% of hospitals destroyed and access to medical services severely limited, while food and clean water remain a daily struggle for civilians in Sudan.To add salt to the wound, famine has struck the country, causing severe food shortages, while militia forces continue to impede humanitarian efforts to deliver aid to affected regions.The United Nations decried the world’s failure to address Sudan’s crisis, reliving the horrors of Darfur that occurred nearly two decades ago.

Under global gaze

Tom Fletcher, the U.K. Ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, remarked that, "Those able to flee – the vast majority women, children, and the elderly – face extortion, rape and violence on the perilous journey.” With satellite imagery from el-Fasher showing blood on the sand and indicating a dire need for intervention, Fletcher called for an end to the flow of weapons fueling the war, as the world witnesses a "crisis of apathy.” Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that the RSF has been carrying out genocide and ethnic cleansing in the city of el-Geneina and the Darfur region against non-Arabs and the Massalit people.

In March 2024, UNICEF reported harrowing child rights violations, including the sexual assault of a child as young as 1. The RSF, which seeks control of gold and oil-rich areas, has intensified the war, highlighting the complex interplay between resource conflict and ethnic tensions. The question of who is funding and fueling the war has continued to loom large. Consequently, in April 2025, the Sudanese military government accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of being complicit in the civil war and of working with the RSF before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). However, the UAE refuted the claim and denied any responsibility for the conflict. This came after the ICJ dismissed the case on the grounds of a lack of jurisdiction.

The unfolding of the world’s largest humanitarian crisis befalls Sudan in front of the international community, much like the Palestine issue, which led some to turn a blind eye to genocide. If history is to be a guide, Rwanda in 1994 showed indicators of the genocide to come, yet the international community turned a blind eye. Nowadays, with social media platforms such as X, many have resorted to online activism and protests to make their voices heard. However, the case of Sudan is not an isolated one, and it is slowly gaining international attention given the intensity of the crisis. Despite the complexity of its governance, humanity is at stake, and Sudan, which once held the promise of a better future through revolution, urgently needs rapid intervention. A sustainable solution for unity and civilian rule is essential, lest the war further divide the country, rendering it a failed state and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.