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Sudan: Civilians left ‘alive but without life’ amidst grinding war

Sudan SAF Abdel Fattah alBurhan RSF Tommy Pigott Volker Türk chemical weapons United States United Nations Washington D.C.

They may be alive, but they are surviving without the most basic elements of human dignity. In Sudan, which has been engulfed in war between the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since mid-April 2023, those who have not been killed by weapons are now slowly dying from a brutal humanitarian crisis.

With the healthcare system collapsing amid rampant epidemics, nowhere is safe. Going to the hospital, shopping, displacing to new areas, or simply staying at home all carry immense risks. For the Sudanese people, daily life has become trapped between the inferno of combat and its devastating aftermath.

"Many families, especially in July and August, resorted to eating wild grass and walking long distances in search of anything edible. Supply lines from areas like Dilling and Kadugli have been cut off, exacerbating the food shortage and creating a stifling crisis," said Hassan Ahmed, a resident of Kadugli, offering a bleak assessment of the situation.

Last week, Dr. Adeeb Yousef, an expert in crisis management and conflict analysis, warned of the severe food insecurity gripping the country, particularly in the Darfur and Kordofan regions. He noted that the current food shortages represent a pre-famine stage according to scientific classifications, warning that indicators across Sudan suggest the situation will soon escalate into formally declared famine zones.

According to the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, approximately 61.7% of Sudan’s population—equivalent to 28.9 million people—is suffering from acute food insecurity.

Starvation as a weapon of war

While the army-aligned Sudanese government denies the existence of a famine, Reuters reports that a coalition of non-governmental organizations has found that millions in Sudan are surviving on just one meal a day.

Adam Rijal, spokesperson for the General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees Camps in Sudan, recently accused army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of weaponizing starvation against innocent civilians.

"Burhan intends to commit a second genocide by using aid as a weapon of starvation and death, which constitutes a war crime under international human rights law," Rijal said in a statement.

In 2024, a New York Times report highlighted that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) were blocking massive amounts of aid from crossing a vital border, deepening the wartime hunger crisis. Relief groups cited by the newspaper stated this aid was essential to prevent thousands of deaths. The blockade affects at least 2.5 million Sudanese.

The focus remains largely on the Adre crossing, which routes aid from Chad into Darfur. The region, which is the size of Spain and suffered a genocide two decades ago, currently has at least eight of its 14 districts facing a direct threat of famine.

Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has stated that the deliberate and apparent denial of safe access for relief agencies into war-torn Sudan could amount to a war crime.

Simultaneously, aid supplies are routinely looted, and humanitarian workers face ongoing attacks. International agencies and NGOs continually report severe bureaucratic hurdles preventing them from operating out of army-controlled Port Sudan to deliver aid inland.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), in its latest food security outlook for August 2026 to January 2027, stated there is a "credible risk of famine until next January in seven areas of North Darfur, as well as in Dilling and Kadugli in South Kordofan." The network noted that these areas are experiencing massive food consumption deficits and spiking levels of acute malnutrition.

US sanctions

In January 2025, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Gen. al-Burhan under Executive Order 14098.

According to the US Treasury, the SAF, under Burhan's command, "committed deadly attacks against civilians, including airstrikes on protected infrastructure such as schools, markets, and hospitals. It also bears responsibility for the deliberate and systematic denial of humanitarian access, and the use of civilian starvation as a weapon of war."

The Treasury further noted that the SAF adopted tactics that included indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure and extrajudicial killings. Burhan was designated because he serves as a leader, senior official, or board member of the SAF, an entity whose members have engaged in actions or policies threatening the peace, security, and stability of Sudan.

Truce rejected, visa denied

While Washington pushes for a 90-day humanitarian truce followed by a permanent ceasefire and a political process leading to a civilian government, Gen. al-Burhan continues to reject de-escalation efforts.

Last Tuesday, the United States denied Burhan a visa ahead of his planned visit to the United Nations. Sources informed Reuters that the move was directly linked to the US-backed ceasefire proposal, which Khartoum opposes.

In a subsequent statement, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott declared that the SAF and RSF leadership "do not represent a legitimate and constitutional government for Sudan."

"The United States and President Trump are prepared to work with any party serious about pursuing peace in Sudan," Pigott said. "In the meantime, we will seek to increase the costs of continuing the conflict for all warring parties and the networks that fuel it." The RSF has previously announced its readiness for a humanitarian truce on multiple occasions.

Chemical weapons allegations

Meanwhile, the United States continues to pursue accountability measures against Burhan following allegations that his forces used chemical weapons at least twice against the rival RSF, violating international treaties. Sudan has been a state party to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) since 1999.

Washington imposed its first round of related sanctions on Sudan in May 2025 after concluding that Burhan authorized the deployment of chemical agents. Additional US sanctions took effect on July 20, 2026, after Washington accused the government of failing to meet conditions outlined in the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control Act during a three-month grace period.

During the 112th session of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague in July 2026, Washington announced that the Sudanese military had deployed chemical weapons in 2024 and remained in a state of non-compliance throughout 2025. The US delegation stated it reached this conclusion following a "rigorous and independent technical analysis."