Sudan: One year of war
The civil war in Sudan broke out on 15 April 2023. Two generals, who together had conspired to depose a civilian prime minister, turned on one another – with devastating consequences for everyone else
Writers and analysts reflect on a bitter anniversary
“Even though it has been a year, there is still a sense of whiplash, of disbelief that it has actually happened, is actually happening. Every development expands the theatre of war and makes a return to peace more remote. Writing these words is a halting, painful process, like stepping on shards of broken glass… And more jarring is that the world has gazed with indifference upon this crucible of war. The ‘forgotten war’ is what it’s called now, when it’s referenced in the international media … One of the reasons for this is Gaza and the escalating Middle East conflict, and how they have monopolised global attention and diplomatic bandwidth for the past six months … But the rest, I suspect, is down to what to most will seem unremarkable: this is just another African country succumbing to intractable conflict.”
Sudanese journalist Nesrine Malik, writing in The Guardian
“You do not have two hours that pass in Khartoum without hearing gunshots. You do not have a single day or a single night that passes without the sound of bombs, whether it’s shelling or airstrikes. It’s every single day … the longer it is left like this, the worse it is for people, and it can also have regional ramifications and spillover.”
Joel Ghazi, emergency co-ordinator for Doctors Without Borders
“Nine million refugees and internally displaced people, millions at risk of acute food insecurity and famine – and tens of thousands of lives already lost. The world is facing many challenges, but we must ensure that the people of Sudan are not forgotten. Events in Ukraine and now Gaza have captured the attention of the world, while Sudan’s collapse has become just another far-away war.”
Sudanese billionaire and philanthropist Mo Ibrahim
“After one year of conflict, the egregious damage to the country and its citizens is almost immeasurable. Much of this suffering has taken place in silence as international attention is directed elsewhere … While the conflict is ostensibly between two warring parties – the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces – it is the Sudanese civilians who remain the main victims, especially women and children.”
Sudanese media house Ayin Network
“Both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces are now relying on irregular forces to bolster their ranks, which has led to a proliferation of armed groups throughout the country, and we are now seeing the conflict increasingly play out along ethnic lines. This will not only put a significant obstacle to any peace effort … but also heighten the risk of the conflict spreading beyond Sudan’s border.”
Shewit Woldemichael, Senior Sudan Analyst at International Crisis Group
“It has become a morbid sort of trivia game. Which country has the world’s largest population of internal refugees? The highest number of people facing famine? And where do aid agencies have the biggest humanitarian load, but remain 95% short of the funding they need? The answer is not, as many might assume, Gaza or Ukraine. It is Sudan.”
The Economist
“As Sudan enters its second year of this devastating war, the question is whether the African Union, countries in the region, and international actors appreciate the urgency and gravity of the imminent danger of state collapse in Sudan and whether they are able and willing to do all that it takes to avoid it. Are they willing and able to halt the supply of weapons to the warring parties and cut off their funding sources? How about establishing a rigorously monitored and enforced ceasefire … If the AU, its member states and the wider international community care about Sudan, the region, and international peace and security enough, this is the moment to show it.”
Solomon Ayele Dersso and Tefesehet Hailu for Amani Africa