Sudan’s descent from the promise of freedom to the brink of genocide has come at dizzying speed. The revolution that led to the military ousting the dictator Omar al-Bashir in April 2019 was followed by a coup that removed civilian leaders – and then, this spring, by the outbreak of war between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces.
At a relentless pace, the clash between the army under Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, has spread across the country. More than 10,000 people are estimated to have been killed so far, and 4.8 million displaced internally, with another 1.2 million fleeing to neighbouring countries. The UN humanitarian coordinator for the country, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, said earlier this month that the violence against civilians is “verging on pure evil”. Greed for resources and power, and longstanding rivalries and hatreds, all fuel the fire.
