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By Darius Spearman (africanelements)
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Sudan’s Unfolding Tragedy
The ongoing civil war in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has plunged the nation into what many are calling the world’s largest humanitarian crisis (Al Jazeera). Recent reports from Sudanese activists paint a grim picture, accusing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of killing nearly 300 people in village raids in North Kordofan state. These attacks, which started on a recent Saturday, highlight the brutal nature of the conflict and its devastating impact on civilian populations (Reuters).
The Emergency Lawyers human rights group has detailed the horrific scale of these atrocities. They reported that over 200 people were killed in the village of Shag Alnom, and another 46, including pregnant women and children, lost their lives in Hilat Hamid. Furthermore, looting raids on other villages resulted in 38 civilian deaths, with dozens more reported missing. The Emergency Lawyers group emphasized that these targeted villages had no military objectives, underscoring the criminal nature of these acts and a blatant disregard for international humanitarian law.
The RSF: A Force Forged in Conflict
To understand the current crisis, it is essential to delve into the origins of the Rapid Support Forces. The RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militias, which played a significant role in the Sudanese government’s counterinsurgency campaigns, particularly in the Darfur region (Rift Valley Institute). Their rise to power is deeply intertwined with the historical concentration of power in Sudan’s central government and the reliance on militias by the former National Congress Party (NCP) regime. The RSF is primarily led by Darfurian Arabs, armed groups from western Sudan’s Darfur and Kordofan regions, who have, in a relatively short period, become a dominant force in Khartoum (The Conversation).
The current conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) stems from intense political competition that followed the removal of Omar al-Bashir in 2019. A key point of contention has been the disagreement over the integration of the RSF into the Sudanese Armed Forces, a condition of a transition agreement that, while never formally signed, had been adhered to since 2021 (The Conversation). For decades, the SAF held a central role in Sudan’s state, politics, and economy. Now, the RSF’s leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti, directly challenges this long-standing control (Rift Valley Institute).
A Humanitarian Catastrophe Unfolding
The civil war has created an unimaginable humanitarian crisis. More than half of Sudan’s population is currently facing severe hunger, and the spread of diseases like cholera is rampant (Al Jazeera). The sheer scale of displacement is staggering, with over 12 million people forced to flee their homes since the fighting began. Tens of thousands have been killed, and the global reduction in aid spending has severely strained the humanitarian response (Al Jazeera).
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that the ongoing rainy season in Darfur, expected to continue until October, will only worsen the humanitarian situation. This period brings an increased risk of floods, further restricting access for aid organizations and leading to more outbreaks of disease. The Sudanese army, which controls Port Sudan, has reportedly blocked humanitarian aid from reaching territories under RSF control, exacerbating the impending famine (The Conversation). Civilians are enduring killing, displacement, theft, and rape, with the RSF becoming a source of terror for many (The Washington Institute).
Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis: Key Figures
El Fasher: A Critical Flashpoint
The city of El Fasher in North Darfur stands as a critical flashpoint in the ongoing conflict. It is the last major city in the Darfur region not under RSF control and serves as a stronghold for the Sudanese army (Al Jazeera). After a weeks-long lull, fighting between the RSF and the Sudanese army reignited in El Fasher this month. The intensity of the conflict in this area underscores its strategic importance to both warring factions.
Just recently, the RSF managed to capture a livestock market, a prison, and a military base in El Fasher, even entering the city center. However, the Sudanese army pushed them out the following day, though RSF forces continued to shell the city using drones. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has documented systematic patterns of violence in El Fasher, including widespread looting, mass killings, sexual violence, abductions, starvation, and attacks on civilian infrastructure (Al Jazeera). The United Nations has also raised alarms about “extreme shortages” of food and clean water for those who remain in El Fasher, highlighting the dire conditions faced by the civilian population.
Accusations of Atrocities and International Law
The RSF has been accused of severe human rights violations, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and even genocide (Al Jazeera). Both the United States and various human rights organizations have leveled these grave accusations against the paramilitary group. The RSF’s soldiers have been implicated in numerous violent looting raids in areas they have seized control of across the country.
A particularly harrowing example is the Battle of Geneina, also known as the Geneina massacre. During this conflict, fighting intensified along tribal lines, with the RSF and allied Arab militias accused of ethnic cleansing against non-Arab civilians (Wikipedia). Humanitarian organizations have drawn chilling comparisons between the indiscriminate civilian killings during the Battle of Geneina and the Rwandan genocide (Wikipedia). These actions represent clear breaches of international humanitarian law, which sets out rules to limit the effects of armed conflict and protect civilians and those no longer participating in hostilities. The deliberate targeting of civilians, destruction of non-military objectives, and acts of ethnic cleansing are grave violations that demand accountability.
Key Terms in the Sudan Conflict
A semi-militarized force whose organizational structure, tactics, training, or weaponry are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not formally part of a country’s armed forces.
The systematic forced removal of ethnic or religious groups from a given territory by a more powerful ethnic group, with the intent of making it ethnically homogeneous. This often involves violence and terror.
The deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group, in whole or in part. It is considered the “crime of crimes” under international law.
A set of rules that seeks to limit the effects of armed conflict for humanitarian reasons. It protects persons who are not or are no longer participating in hostilities and restricts the means and methods of warfare. Also known as the laws of war.
The International Response and Its Challenges
The international community’s response to the RSF’s actions and the broader Sudanese conflict has been marked by division and a notable lack of a cohesive plan. The United Nations Security Council remains deeply divided, and the African Union has yet to propose a workable solution for the conflict (The Conversation). This disunity among international actors complicates efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution or even to establish a temporary ceasefire for humanitarian aid.
Adding to the complexity are accusations of external support for the RSF. Reports suggest that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is using Chad to supply weapons to the RSF, and Sudan has directly accused Chad of providing aid, including weapons and mercenaries (Wikipedia). While Chad publicly denies supporting the RSF, Sudan has stated that there are no ongoing diplomatic contacts to ease tensions over Khartoum’s accusations. This external involvement, coupled with the RSF’s continued recruitment of mercenaries from both inside and outside the country, even as it makes advances on the ground, further complicates any efforts towards a lasting resolution (The Washington Institute).
Displacement in Sudan: A Growing Crisis
The Path Forward: A Bleak Outlook
The prospects for a peaceful resolution to Sudan’s conflict currently appear bleak. Even a temporary ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian aid remains improbable given the deep divisions within the UN Security Council and the African Union’s lack of a workable plan (The Conversation). The ongoing violence, coupled with the deliberate obstruction of aid, means that the suffering of the Sudanese people is likely to continue, and potentially worsen.
For the African diaspora, the crisis in Sudan resonates deeply. It is a stark reminder of the fragility of peace and the devastating consequences of internal conflict on African nations. The accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide evoke painful historical parallels, calling for a strong, unified response from the global community, particularly those with a vested interest in the well-being and stability of the African continent. The world must not turn a blind eye to the atrocities unfolding in Sudan. The lives of millions depend on urgent and effective intervention.
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.
