No end in sight as the Sudan conflict continues

It has been described as a battle for power as two years have now passed, but Sudan continues to suffer a conflict that has left at least 150,000 deaths, leaving about 13 million people displaced.

Sudan plunged into war in 2023 when the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, descended into a conflict in Khartoum's capital.

Where it all began

Instability began in Sudan in April 2019 after its long-serving president, Omar Al-Bashir, was ousted and its military took control.

Later negotiations and the installation of a civilian government were met with opposition, especially from the military, which led to massive street protests.

The war has also pushed at least millions across the border into neighboring countries like Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.

The United Nations claims that both sides have committed numerous atrocities that include ethnically motivated killings and mass rape, potentially amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The most affected areas include the western Darfur region, Khartoum and Port Sudan.

Al-Bashir created the RSF as a special force within the Sudanese military during his tenure. After his fall, the Sudanese army called for the RSF's dissolution, but the group opposed it.

How the war has progressed

In May, the army declared Khartoum free from the RSF after launching one of the most significant offensives to reclaim lost territories.

The RSF, in retaliation, has also launched massive attacks in Port Sudan, using drones to retake towns previously held by Sudan's army.

Recent drone attacks targeted hotels and airports, signaling an eminent massive offensive can strike at any time.

While visiting the attacked area, the country's information minister, Khalid Aleiser, confirmed that fuel tanks were hit during these attacks, and power lines were also affected, leaving the town without electricity.

Meanwhile, the RSF forces have shifted their operations in the Darfur region, converting displacement Camps into barracks.

Are other countries involved?

According to Reuters, the RSF is supported by other African countries, such as Kenya, Chad, Libya, South Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Kenya is hosting the RSF leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as "Hemedti," in Nairobi, where ongoing meetings are being held. In February, while in Nairobi, the RSF declared the creation of a separate government in Sudan called 'New Sudan,' a move that attracted severe condemnation from the African Union (AU) and the Sudanese army.

Nairobi has been accused of supplying weapons to RSF-held regions.

The Sudanese military in May shot down a plane, killing a Kenyan pilot in a strike targeting the Nyala International Airport in South Darfur.

According to local witnesses, the plane, suspected of carrying military supplies for the RSF, had been seen landing at the airport multiple times.

Sudan, in March, took the UAE to the International Court of Justice, accusing it of its involvement in the war. Sudan has accused the UAE of breaching the genocide convention by arming and funding the RSF rebels. The court later dismissed the case, saying it lacked the authority to continue the proceedings. The UAE has constantly denied its involvement in the war.

Humanitarian crisis at hand

Millions of displaced Sudanese seek refuge in neighboring countries, with Chad now hosting at least 794,000 refugees. According to the UNHCR, humanitarian resources in assisting countries have become extremely limited while the need continues to grow. The UN and other humanitarian bodies have called for a ceasefire. Still, the two warring sides have instead intensified their offensive to recapture more regions and control.

The U.S. threatens sanctions.

The United States in May threatened to impose sanctions on the Sudanese Army over claims it used chemical weapons on citizens in 2024.

The State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, in a statement, said, "The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to cease all chemical weapons use and uphold its obligations under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (the CBW Act)."

Sudan rejected the allegations and deemed them false, accusing the United States of interference in its affairs.