Sudan is facing a critical emergency. Thousands of people are in danger of violence and starvation in the Darfur region, and the situation continues to deteriorate. There is a dire need for humanitarian support, the protection of civilians, and an end to the violence.
Following our statement last month, we have been in contact with our peacebuilding partner in Sudan to learn more about what is happening and what action they need to see.
War ignited in Sudan in April 2023, when tension between military and paramilitary leaders escalated to full-scale conflict. Both sides are suspected of committing atrocities. The war has killed at least 20,000 people and displaced 12 million – the world’s largest displacement crisis – according to the UN. Several peace efforts have failed to end this war.
It has also triggered a humanitarian catastrophe. In June this year, the UN estimated that around 755,000 people are at risk of starvation. Famine was confirmed in North Darfur at the beginning of August and half of Sudan’s population is facing acute hunger. Intense flooding has worsened the impact of the conflict, further undermining the country’s collapsing health system. Violence has escalated alarmingly in recent days, as battles for control of key cities intensified.
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The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) launched a major offensive to retake Sudan’s capital Khartoum from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 26 September. Both groups have reportedly carried out aerial attacks, some of which targeted residential areas.
A week earlier, the city of El Fasher in North Darfur suffered consecutive days of gunfire and intense aerial bombardment in the densely populated areas of Zamzam, Abu Shouk and El Taigania. The number of civilians killed or injured is unknown, but hundreds are estimated to have died and 1500 have been displaced in a matter of days.
This marks an unprecedented escalation in the area, where warring parties have carried out heavy military operations, including airstrikes, since May 2024. El Fasher is strategically significant, as the last city in the Darfur region where the SAF is still present. For six months, the RSF has imposed a siege on the city in its attempt to wrest control from the SAF and allied armed movements. The consequences of the violence have been severe.
Civilians, many of them women and children, are trapped in conflict zones without access to shelter or essential services. Schools in El Fasher have closed and medical facilities are overwhelmed. Outbreaks of cholera and malaria are spreading, leading to hundreds of deaths. Thousands also face acute malnutrition.
Crucial humanitarian corridors have been blocked, and access to food and water is now critically limited. However, our partner says that SAF and allies continue to receive arms inside El Fasher via parachute, which indicates “Hunger issues could be solved through parachuting aid, yet scarcity of food and drinking water is politicised”.
This desperate situation is also leading to increased violence between civilians fighting over vital resources, which has spread beyond El Fasher. There has also been a rise in misinformation and ethnic polarisation, particularly in fragile areas with a legacy of conflict. As such, even areas not currently experiencing bombardment are affected by the consequences of this conflict.
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Our local partners in Sudan have, of course, been affected both personally and professionally. Like much of civil society, they have had to pause their vital work on issues like education and cohesion. Instead, they are focused on helping communities access food, shelter, safety and hygiene, and addressing the rise in misinformation and polarisation.
But they should not have to face this alone. Our partner is calling for global action:
“A ceasefire must be implemented, and humanitarian corridors must be reopened to ensure that lifesaving aid can reach those most in need.
The tactics of all parties, including the use of hunger as a weapon of war, must be investigated. And all parties involved must return to the negotiating table to address the root causes of the conflict and secure lasting peace.
In addition to the immediate need for a ceasefire and humanitarian relief, we call for specific actions to protect civilians, including the establishment of safe pathways for those seeking to leave conflict areas and the protection of key infrastructure such as hospitals and schools.”
As an organisation working from the UK and US, Peace Direct urges the respective governments of these countries to actively support de-escalation and accountability efforts. We and our partner encourage the international community to increase pressure on all international actors who have been involved in the conflict in their support for the warring parties. All de-escalation and justice efforts must prioritise the needs of the Sudanese.
We urge the US and UK special envoys for Sudan to take their lead from Sudanese civil society, both locally and in the diaspora. It is vital that peace processes are not just led by those who are parties to violence but also those who are affected – civilians, particularly women, and civil society must also be represented.
Peace Direct remains in solidarity with our partner, the people of El Fasher and Sudan. We urge the international community to join us in amplifying the calls of our local peacebuilding partners for support to local civil society, the protection of civilians, an end to violence, and the resolution of this crisis.
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