The forgotten civil war: Sudan's crisis deepens as death toll passes 20,000

Sudan is facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises in recent history, with the civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claiming over 20,000 lives since last April.

Despite the staggering death toll and displacement figures, the conflict has garnered little attention from mainstream media, leading many to call it the world's "forgotten war."

Before the fighting escalated in 2023, 16 million people were already in urgent need of humanitarian aid and the civil war has only exacerbated the suffering, according to Dr. Ensar Kucukaltan, General Coordinator of the Africa Coordination and Training Center (AKEM).

Speaking to TRT World, Kucukaltan said "12 million have been displaced, with 10 million still within the country, which according to United Nations data represents the largest internal displacement rate in the world."

"Among the remaining, approximately 600,000 to 700,000 people have been forcibly displaced to Chad. These are all very serious figures," he added.

'World's worst hunger crisis'

Over 16 months into the war, Sudan's food security has reached a critical tipping point, with over 26.6 million people — around 54% of the country's population — facing severe hunger.

The conflict has devastated agricultural production and destroyed vital food infrastructure, leaving local economies in ruins and worsening food shortages.

The humanitarian response has been critically underfunded; of the $2.7 billion needed for 2024, only 5 percent has been secured.

Senior United Nations officials have already warned the Security Council, calling for an urgent cessation of hostilities before an entire generation is destroyed.

"We are here today to warn you of a far-reaching and fast-deteriorating situation of food insecurity in Sudan," said Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

There have also been reports of mass graves, gang rapes, shockingly indiscriminate attacks in densely populated areas and "many more horrors," she reported in March, with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) warning that some acts may amount to war crimes.

Adding to the crisis, Sudan is one of the countries most affected by climate crisis, with extreme weather patterns threatening the livelihoods of 80 percent of working Sudanese who depend on agriculture and pastoralism.

As Wosornu told the UN Security Council, "Sudan is on course to become the world's worst hunger crisis."

Crippling healthcare

The war has severely strained Sudan's healthcare system, leaving 70 percent of it inoperable. This collapse means even manageable diseases could quickly escalate into deadly epidemics, especially for vulnerable groups like children.

Meanwhile, the nation's few remaining functional hospitals have been overwhelmed by the constant stream of casualties, leaving many without access to essential medical care.

"This crisis has led to a surge in further health problems," Kucukaltan said, adding that a recent measles outbreak has affected over 1,000 children, while cholera has claimed around 300 lives from 12,000 reported cases.

Meanwhile, over 10,000 schools remain out of use, leaving millions of children without education. This is a devastating blow to the country's future and potentially sets back an entire generation, crippling the country's prospects for recovery and development in the years to come.

As Kucukaltan puts it,"unfortunately, since Sudan does not receive much media attention, despite having experienced a similar situation to Gaza and Libya, these needs remain unaddressed on the international stage."

How it started

The the recent conflict in Sudan erupted in April 2023, primarily due to tensions between the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (Hemeti).

Both leaders had been allies in the 2019 coup, but after the ousting of Sudan's President Omar al Bashir, they clashed over power-sharing, particularly the integration of the RSF into the army as part of the country's transition to civilian rule.

Efforts to broker peace collapsed, leading to intense fighting, especially in the capital Khartoum and the Darfur region.

"As a result of this power struggle, a severe humanitarian crisis is currently unfolding, particularly in Darfur, and many of Sudan's previously secure regions are now experiencing conditions akin to civil war, revealing that the once-safe areas are no longer secure havens," Kucukaltan said.

He added that both of these groups have various international connections.

Sudanese and regional diplomatic sources have claimed that the Russian mercenary group Wagner has been supplying Sudan's RSF Rapid with missiles to aid their fight against the country's army.

"There are claims that Wagner, which has been active in many regions including Libya and Mali, is also operating in Sudan. It is said that these groups are influenced by various mining and infrastructure agreements with different foreign entities," Kucukaltan said.

The sources noted that surface-to-air missiles have greatly strengthened the RSF paramilitary fighters and their leader, Daglo, in his struggle for power against al Burhan, Sudan's military ruler and head of the armed forces.

Thus, it is evident that the broader region encompassing Upper East Africa, including Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, and even Somalia, is facing interconnected internal conflicts, Kucukaltan said.

He suggests that when countries are in competition, internal strife in one can provide an advantage to others.

"Consequently, both regional and global external forces are exacerbating Sudan's civil war."