What started out as a power struggle between Sudan’s forces – the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, – has now spiralled into a full-blown national catastrophe. In mid-July, reports emerged of nearly 300 civilians falling victim to brutal raids by the RSF in several villages across North Kordofan, in central Sudan. Humanitarian groups described these attacks as a “terrible massacre,” with most victims either burned alive inside their homes or shot on the spot. Meanwhile, in the west, in Al-Fashir, North Darfur, the situation is just as bleak, with hundred more people killed in April alone, as the both sides of the conflict ramp up their fight for the regional capital. There have also been reports of summary executions of civilians suspected of collaborating with the RSF, especially in Khartoum, carried out by the SAF.

However, these atrocities are just the tip of the iceberg — violence is becoming a daily grim routine in Sudan, spreading across the entire country. Over half the population — around 13 million people — have already been displaced, and at least 40,000 lives have been lost (conservative estimates). Millions are now driven to hunger, with cholera and other diseases spreading rapidly across the country.

Sudan’s history of conflict is a tangled web that stretches back many decades. The country has experienced a series of coups and deep-rooted struggles related to ethnicity, politics, and economics. It all started back in 1989 when Omar Al-Bashir took power after removing the previous leader. He knew his grip on power was fragile, so he used a tactic called “coup-proofing”. This meant surrounding himself with loyal military men and controlling the SAF. While the military was busy fighting in South Sudan, trouble was brewing in Darfur to the west. That region was ignored for years, with little resources or say in the government. In 2003, Darfur erupted in rebellion, and Al-Bashir responded by arming Arab militias called Janjaweed, who became infamous for their brutal tactics like burning villages, killing civilians, and even raping women. These militias, along with the SAF, waged a campaign of terror that displaced thousands of Darfurians. To keep control over these forces, Al-Bashir created the RSF, led by Hemedti.

Things got worse in 2011 when South Sudan gained independence, taking away a large chunk of Sudan’s oil revenue. This hit the economy hard, and Bashir’s regime started to weaken. To stay in power, he officially made the Janjaweed—now rebranded as the RSF—part of the security forces in 2013. Hemedti was given a lot of independence, controlling mining resources and weapons, and even expanding Sudan’s role in conflicts in Libya and Yemen. Meanwhile, ordinary Sudanese people were suffering more and more as the government focused on military might rather than social services like health and education. Public frustration boiled over in 2018, with protests against austerity and the government’s focus on security. The protests turned violent, and Bashir was finally ousted in April 2019. But the situation took a dark turn when armed men linked to the RSF killed dozens of protesters in the Khartoum massacre, trying to quash the movement.

Despite the violence, protests didn’t stop. People demanded an end to military rule, and after mediation by the African Union and Ethiopia, a power-sharing deal was signed in August 2019. It promised a transition period of three years with both civilian and military leaders in charge. But tensions remained high. In October 2021, the situation exploded again when a coup led by Bashir’s old allies, SAF General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and Hemeti, ousted Prime Minister Hamdok. That plunged Sudan back into chaos. In December 2022, the military signed a deal promising a civilian government, but disagreements over military reforms soon spiralled out of control. Fighting broke out in April 2023 between the military and the RSF, turning parts of Khartoum into war zones. Despite efforts to negotiate peace, the fighting shows no signs of stopping, leaving Sudan in a state of uncertainty.