As Sudan enters the third year of a devastating civil war, the country is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world. The violent power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023, has plunged the nation into widespread chaos, displacement, and suffering.
More than 13 million people have been forced to flee their homes, and nearly 4 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries including Chad, Egypt, and South Sudan. According to United Nations estimates, over 30 million Sudanese now depend on humanitarian aid for survival, while more than 24 million face acute food insecurity. The conflict has severely disrupted basic services and destroyed critical infrastructure, leaving countless civilians without access to food, healthcare, or safe shelter.
Some of the worst atrocities have occurred in the Darfur region. In early April 2025, RSF fighters launched brutal attacks on the Zamzam and Abu Shouk refugee camps in North Darfur. At least 389 civilians were killed and more than 157 injured in a series of coordinated assaults that also targeted homes, schools, marketplaces, and medical centers. Humanitarian groups have condemned the massacres as potential war crimes, and survivors are left struggling to cope with the trauma and destruction.
In response to the growing crisis, the international community has pledged emergency aid, though diplomatic progress remains limited. A donor conference held in London in mid-April 2025, co-hosted by the UK, European Union, France, Germany, and the African Union, raised over $1 billion in pledges. The UK alone committed $158 million, while the EU and its member states pledged around $590 million. However, the absence of Sudanese factions and regional powers like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates raised concerns about the effectiveness of these efforts in achieving a lasting ceasefire or peace agreement.
Despite the bleak situation, stories of resilience continue to emerge from the ground. Hassan, a former teacher from Sudan now living in a refugee camp in South Sudan, has been separated from his family for more than 18 months. Yet he has taken it upon himself to organize makeshift classrooms to teach displaced children, providing them with a glimmer of hope and stability in the midst of chaos.
Pope Francis has once again called for an immediate end to the violence in Sudan, urging the global community to act swiftly to save lives and support the suffering population. With no clear resolution in sight, the people of Sudan remain trapped in a prolonged conflict that demands urgent international attention, unified humanitarian action, and a renewed commitment to peace.