Sudan’s Civil War: The Roots of Genocide
In 2003, the north-western region of Darfur erupted into what would become one of the early major atrocities of the 21st century. Government forces under Omar al-Bashir (Head of State) and their allied Arab militia, the Janjaweed, launched a brutal campaign of village raids, killings, and forced displacement against non-Arab ethnic groups- notably the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa peoples. Between 2003 and 2005 alone, at least 200,000 people were killed, and more than 2million were displaced.
More recently, fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group with Janjaweed roots. The conflict quickly spread beyond Khartoum, reaching several regions, including Darfur, and driving large numbers of people away from their homes, sparking a renewed fear of ethnic based attacks across Sudan.
Omal al-Bashir and the Machinery of Oppression
Al-Bashir came to power in 1989 following a military coup that ousted the democratically elected government. He instead established an authoritarian government that relied heavily on the Sudanese military (SAF) to maintain absolute control. Under this regime, al-Bashir supported and coordinated Janjaweed militias, a system that contributed to the subsequent formation of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Later, during the Darfur genocide (2003-2005), the RSF, as the ruling power, executed targeted, genocidal attacks against the pastoralist, African groups of Sudan.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued two arrest warrants against Omar al-Bashir (4th of March 2009 and 12th of July 2010, respectively) with charges including five counts of crimes against humanity, two counts of war crimes, and murder. Despite this, al-Bashir remained Sudan’s Head of State until April 2019, when mass protests over economic hardship and political repression forced his removal. Even after his removal from power, the military and paramilitary systems built under Bashir’s rule continue to shape Sudan’s ongoing conflicts.
Protests, Power-Sharing, and Political Fragility
Following al-Bashir’s ouster, Sudan entered a fragile arrangement between Sudanese military powers (led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan) and civilian-led coalitions, such as the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC). During this transitional phase, protesters occupied areas in Khartoum to demand a civilian-led government. However, on the 3rd of June 2019, the non-violent protest was violently dispersed by military forces, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries. This marked the worst large-scale display of violence in Sudan since the April 11th overthrowing of Omar al-Bashir. To stabilise the country and prevent a return to chaos, Sudan’s military and civilian leaders agreed to a formal power-sharing framework.
The constitutional declaration of August 2019 established a joint civilian-military transitional government, the Sovereign Council, to guide Sudan towards democratic elections and away from the prior authoritarian rule that had strictly enforced political repression. It appointed a civilian Prime Minister (Abdalla Hamdok), defined the country’s powers, and outlined arrangements for the country’s security forces, including the RSF. While intended to balance the authority between the military and civilians, tensions over the RSF’s control and other security issues wholly undermined the transition, contributing to the later military takeover in October 2021.
The Collapse of the Transitional Government
During the October 2021 military takeover, the civilian government was dissolved, and the civilian Prime Minister was placed under house arrest. This, in essence, ended the transitional experiment. The takeover worsened the division between the Saf and RSF, leaving the country politically unstable and ultimately setting the foundations for the outbreak of civil war in 2023.
Sudan 2023: Civil War and Ethnic Targeting
In April 2023, a conflict broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), over 340 incidents of political violence have been recorded since the 15th of April, with 275 of these being battle events. As of 2025, the actions of the RSF in Sudan have been publicly declared as genocidal by the United States Department of State, citing mass killings and the targeted rape of women and girls. These findings only fuel ongoing accusations of a Sudanese ethnic cleansing, with current events closely mirroring the atrocities that minority groups of Sudan were subject to during the 2003 Darfur conflict. The ongoing crisis has created a severe humanitarian crisis. Almost 2.2 million people have been displaced across Sudan and to neighbouring countries since the outbreak of the Civil War in 2023. Essential services are disrupted, and hospitals have become targets of mass attacks. As recently as October 2025, the RSF has killed more than 460 citizens at the Saudi Maternity Hospital in El Fasher. Additionally, aid agencies report widespread shortages of food, water, and medicine, with UNICEF reporting that there are 24.7 million Sudanese people currently in need of aid.
The Enduring Human Cost of Sudan’s Civil War
Sudan’s civil war isn’t only a political crisis, but a profound humanitarian catastrophe. The structures established under Bashir’s regime continue to enable suffering across the nation through relentless violence and displacement. With 24.7million people in desperate need of aid, the human cost of Sudan’s conflict is staggering, underscoring the urgent need for accountability and international intervention.
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