Sudan enters 4th year of war as ‘abandoned crisis’ grows

Overview

Sudan is entering its fourth year of war on Wednesday, a conflict that has created what aid agencies describe as the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with millions displaced and famine spreading. The fighting between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shows no sign of ending, even as global attention has shifted to conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere.

According to multiple reports, the war has killed tens of thousands of people and forced more than 13 million from their homes. The United Nations has called it the world's largest hunger crisis, with nearly 25 million people – more than half of Sudan's population – facing crisis levels of food shortages or worse by 2025, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the anniversary varies across outlets, but all emphasize the scale of suffering and international neglect. Africa News, in two separate articles, highlighted the UN's warning that the world "does not seem to care" about Sudan, with one piece focusing on the humanitarian toll – over 11 million displaced and tens of thousands killed – and another calling it an "abandoned crisis." Al Jazeera's reporting centered on the lived experience of families like that of Marasi Alfadil, who fled el-Fasher just before the RSF took control, and detailed the siege and famine conditions in Darfur and Kordofan. The South China Morning Post and another Africa News report both used "abandoned crisis" in their headlines, underscoring the theme of international neglect, and cited the Red Cross's figure of 11,000 missing.

While the statistics broadly align across sources, there are some variations. Africa News initially reported 11 million displaced, while later reports from Africa News and SCMP put the number at 13 million – a discrepancy that may reflect the ongoing escalation of displacement. Similarly, the death toll is cited as "tens of thousands" in some coverage and "at least 59,000" in others, with the latter figure attributed to UN estimates.

Key Claims

• The war in Sudan has killed at least 59,000 people, according to UN estimates cited by multiple sources, with the Red Cross reporting more than 11,000 missing. The conflict began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF.

• Around 13 million people have been forced from their homes, creating what the UN describes as the world's largest displacement and hunger crisis. Al Jazeera reports that 12 million were displaced by the end of 2025, with 25 million facing acute food insecurity.

• Famine conditions have been declared in parts of Sudan. Al Jazeera reported that the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared a famine in el-Fasher in November, and that at least 20 other areas are at risk. Up to 800,000 people are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition in the coming months, according to Africa News.

• A particularly deadly incident occurred in el-Fasher in October, when the RSF rampaged through the city. The UN reported at least 6,000 deaths over three days, and UN-backed experts concluded the offensive bore "the defining characteristics of genocide," as reported by SCMP.

• Sudan is now effectively split in two, with a military-backed government controlling the north, east, and central regions, and an RSF-led administration dominating Darfur and parts of Kordofan, according to Africa News.

• External actors, including regional powers such as the United Arab Emirates, are backing rival factions, complicating peace efforts, as reported by multiple sources. Attempts by the US and regional powers to broker a ceasefire have failed.

• The UN has launched a $2.9 billion appeal for Sudan, but it is currently only 16 percent funded, according to Africa News.

Perspectives

The humanitarian perspective is stark. UN officials and aid workers describe a catastrophe unfolding largely unnoticed. Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme, told Africa News: "Three years of war in Sudan have created the world's largest humanitarian crisis. The conflict has ravaged livelihoods, uprooted communities, and driven millions of people into hunger. Famine still stalks parts of this country." UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher added: "This grim and chastening anniversary marks another year when the world has failed to meet the test of Sudan."

For those directly affected, the pain is personal. "The siege made life hard," Marasi Alfadil, who fled el-Fasher, told Al Jazeera. "Goods could not come in. Anyone who tried to bring food was detained or killed." In Nairobi, Sudanese refugees and activists held a symbolic tree-planting event to mark the anniversary, with Saria Mubarak, a refugee, saying: "I really want the war to stop. I want to go home."

There is also a geopolitical dimension. Sources note that regional powers have been accused of fueling the conflict by backing rival factions. The UAE has been implicated in supporting the RSF, though it has denied these allegations. The international community's failure to secure a ceasefire, despite repeated attempts, has led to accusations of neglect.

Some analysts point to a potential turning point: the war has effectively split Sudan into two de facto states, which could complicate future peace negotiations. However, as of now, there is no end in sight, and the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.