The month of April marks a year since the start of a brutal civil war. The war started in the final week of the holy month of Ramadan which most of the country took part in. Since then, the conflict has continued causing countless people to be displaced, injured or dead.
Sudan has a population of around 49 million and since the outbreak of war around 6.5 million people have been internally displaced, mainly fleeing from the capital of Khartoum to Port Sudan or returning to the villages they originate from. Whilst it is difficult to pinpoint the exact figure of people killed it is estimated to be around 16,000, however it is presumed to be greater than this but not clear as the ability to collect data in real time has been hindered significantly. One of the major developments in 2024 has been the El Geneina (West Darfur) destruction where an estimated 10,000-15,000 people had lost their lives. This is part of a greater conflict with tensions between the Darfur region and Khartoum and other militias stemming from 2003.
From those that have been displaced around 1.8 million fled to the neighbouring countries of Egypt, Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan (which gained independence in 2011). With their situation being dire and resources hard to come by, people often had to pay extremely large amounts to ensure their safety. Amidst all the chaos and fleeing, those who remained within the country experience extreme food shortages. Whilst some may be able to rely on family who have emigrated outside the country prior to the conflict, many people don’t have that option.
According to the UN, it is believed that nearly 40% of the population are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity mainly in the regions of West Darfur and Khartoum. It has been difficult to dispatch any sort of aid due to the risk it would impose on those distributing aid and access being blocked for the most part. Alongside the lack of food there has been a rapid increase in the spread of diseases such as cholera, measles, and malaria coupled with the fact around 80% of hospitals in contested territory have been left dysfunctional due to conflict and shortages. the humanitarian crisis appears to be going under the radar whilst deteriorating at an extraordinary rate.
Neighbouring countries, more specifically Arab countries in recent years have placed large investments and trust in Sudan and hope to continue to do so however action must be taken before May when the next agricultural season begins to prevent a large-scale famine. This will more than likely be the tipping point and cause significant losses for the population as millions are lingering in food insecurity and disease.
In the fight for control over the country, both sides of the civil war have forgot the people they claim and want to want to “serve”. This has left the population in turmoil with the death toll in the tens of thousands, the number of displaced people surpassing 8 million, disease ravaging those who remain, prices skyrocketing, and the country being on the brink of a famine which will in all probability claim the lives of many people. Talks have taken place in Jeddah and there are currently talks in Cairo by the Emiratis but this tussle over who can deliver help to the war-torn country may only potentially exacerbate the situation with the current climate already tense due to previously failed talks that took place in October. To prevent the already bleak situation from regressing further an agreement must be reached by all parties involved to allow aid to be distributed across the country and to help provide relief for the people they want to “govern”.