Sudan’s Civil War: A Proxy Conflict’s Devastating Impact
By Darius Spearman (africanelements)
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The civil war in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has plunged the nation into one of the world’s most catastrophic humanitarian and displacement crises. This conflict pits the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in a brutal struggle for political and economic power. The fighting has transformed Sudan, once a vibrant nation, into a landscape of immense suffering and instability. The toll on human lives and livelihoods is staggering, with countless families torn apart and communities shattered. This internal struggle has been further complicated by the extensive involvement of foreign powers, turning a domestic crisis into a complex proxy war with far-reaching consequences for the Sudanese people and the broader African continent.
Understanding Sudan’s Internal Strife
The current civil war in Sudan is a direct result of deep-seated tensions between two powerful military factions: the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The SAF, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, represents the official military of Sudan. The RSF, a formidable paramilitary group, operates under the command of General Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. These two forces, once uneasy allies, are now locked in a deadly embrace, vying for control over the nation’s future (Conflicts in Africa : Why Sudan remains trapped in prolonged civil war).
The roots of this conflict trace back to the 2019 uprising, which successfully ousted long-time dictator Omar al-Bashir. A military-led government was formed with the stated goal of transitioning to civilian rule. However, the RSF, having secured significant business interests and an independent command structure, showed reluctance to relinquish these advantages. This created a dangerous rift within the military establishment. A military coup in October 2021, led by General Burhan, occurred just months before the planned civilian transition, further escalating these tensions and ultimately igniting the current civil war (Sudan: civil war stretches into a second year with no end in sight).
The conflict in Sudan has elements of a proxy war. This means major international powers, rather than directly engaging in combat, support opposing sides in the conflict. They often provide financial, military, or logistical aid. In Sudan, various foreign states have taken sides, turning the internal struggle into a battleground for external interests (Middle Eastern monarchies in Sudan’s war: what’s driving their interests). This external interference complicates any path to peace, prolonging the suffering of the Sudanese people.
What is a Proxy War?
A proxy war is a conflict instigated by major powers that do not themselves become directly involved. Instead, they support opposing sides in a conflict, often with financial, military, or logistical aid. In Sudan, the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has elements of a proxy war due to the involvement of various foreign states supporting different factions.
External Hands in Sudan’s Conflict
The conflict in Sudan is not merely a domestic struggle; it is profoundly shaped by extensive foreign interference. Various foreign states have taken sides, effectively turning it into a proxy war. External actors involved include Chad, Egypt, Iran, Libya, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (Middle Eastern monarchies in Sudan’s war: what’s driving their interests). These nations have diverse interests in Sudan, ranging from geopolitical influence to economic gains, which drive their support for different factions.
Middle Eastern monarchies, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are deeply involved in Sudan due to a combination of geopolitical, economic, and strategic interests. These interests include securing access to resources, expanding regional influence, and controlling strategic locations like the Red Sea, which is vital for global shipping lanes. Their support for different factions in the conflict aims to secure favorable outcomes for their respective agendas in the region (Middle Eastern monarchies in Sudan’s war: what’s driving their interests). For instance, Saudi Arabia reportedly supports the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), while the UAE is alleged to back the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) (How Sudan Became a Saudi-UAE Proxy War). The UAE’s alleged arming of the RSF is highlighted by rebels and evidence such as a Colombian passport with a UAE exit visa displayed by a fighter (Sudan is caught in a web of external interference. So why is an international response still lacking?).
Other global powers also have a stake. Russia, for example, is reportedly negotiating a military deal to establish naval facilities in Port Sudan, a critical location on the Red Sea shipping lanes (Understanding Sudan’s civil war). Russia’s private military company, the Wagner Group, has been deployed to guard Sudanese gold mines, indicating a clear economic interest in the country’s resources (Understanding Sudan’s civil war). China, a significant investor in Sudan over the years, also faces threats to its economic interests from the prolonged conflict (Understanding Sudan’s civil war). The involvement of these diverse external actors, each with their own agendas, has deepened the conflict and made a peaceful resolution increasingly difficult to achieve.
The Unfolding Humanitarian Catastrophe
The civil war in Sudan has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. This crisis is marked by massive displacement, severe food insecurity, and a dire lack of essential services. Millions of people have been forced from their homes, seeking refuge in neighboring countries or within Sudan’s borders (Middle Eastern monarchies in Sudan’s war: what’s driving their interests). The conflict has displaced more than 14 million people, making it the world’s worst displacement crisis (Sudan’s civil war: What military advances mean, and where the country could be heading next).
The conditions faced by displaced people are dire. They have limited access to food, clean water, shelter, and healthcare. Nearly half of Sudan’s population is “acutely food insecure,” and 638,000 people face “catastrophic levels of hunger,” the highest number globally (Sudan’s civil war: What military advances mean, and where the country could be heading next). The Sudanese army has even blocked humanitarian aid from reaching territories controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, contributing to an impending famine (How militia groups capture states and ruin countries: the case of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces). The lack of medical facilities and widespread hunger contribute significantly to the death toll, which estimates range from 20,000 to 150,000 (Sudan’s civil war: What military advances mean, and where the country could be heading next). This human tragedy underscores the urgent need for effective international intervention and aid.
Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis: Key Figures
International Response and Its Shortcomings
The international community has struggled to mount an effective response to the crisis in Sudan. Organizations like the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) have roles in promoting peace and stability, but their efforts in Sudan have been largely ineffective. The African Union reacted to the October 2021 military coup by suspending Sudan’s membership, a diplomatic measure intended to pressure the military leadership (Sudan: civil war stretches into a second year with no end in sight). However, despite the involvement of various international bodies, the situation in Sudan has only worsened, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises (Middle Eastern monarchies in Sudan’s war: what’s driving their interests).
The reasons for this ineffectiveness are complex. They often involve a lack of unified international political will, the difficulty of mediating between deeply entrenched factions, and the immense challenges of delivering humanitarian aid in an active conflict zone. The United Nations Security Council remains deeply divided on the issue, and the African Union has not proposed a workable plan (How militia groups capture states and ruin countries: the case of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces). This division and inaction allow the conflict to fester, with devastating consequences for civilians. The international community, therefore, plays a dual role: inadvertently exacerbating the conflict through external support for warring parties, while also attempting to resolve it through humanitarian aid and diplomatic efforts.
External actors, including Middle Eastern monarchies and other global powers, contribute to the conflict’s intensity by providing financial and military support to the warring factions, effectively fueling the proxy war (Middle Eastern monarchies in Sudan’s war: what’s driving their interests). Saudi Arabia and the UAE, for example, are providing financial and military support to the warring parties, despite their denials (Middle Eastern monarchies in Sudan’s war: what’s driving their interests). Conversely, international organizations like the African Union and the United Nations have attempted to mediate and provide humanitarian aid. However, their efforts have been hampered by the complexity of the conflict and a lack of unified international action. This highlights a critical challenge: how to compel external actors to cease their interference and instead support genuine peace initiatives.
Long-Term Shadows and Regional Ripples
The prolonged civil war in Sudan casts a long shadow over the country’s political stability and economic future. The conflict has already led to widespread displacement and a dire humanitarian crisis, which will require extensive recovery efforts for generations to come. With an estimated 62,000 deaths and approximately 14 million individuals displaced, the societal disruption is immense (Conflicts in Africa : Why Sudan remains trapped in prolonged civil war). Politically, the deep divisions between the SAF and RSF, exacerbated by external interference, make a stable and unified government incredibly difficult to achieve. The path to democratic governance and rule of law appears increasingly distant amidst the ongoing violence.
Economically, the war has been catastrophic. The destruction of infrastructure, disruption of trade routes, and diversion of national resources to conflict will severely hinder development and perpetuate poverty. China’s significant investments in Sudan, for instance, are now threatened by the prolonged conflict, indicating a negative impact on the country’s economic prospects (Understanding Sudan’s civil war). The conflict also risks regional spillover, further destabilizing neighboring countries like Libya, Chad, and the Central African Republic (Understanding Sudan’s civil war). This threatens broader economic and security dynamics across the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, impacting millions beyond Sudan’s borders. The international community must recognize these far-reaching implications and act decisively to prevent a wider regional catastrophe.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.
