Sudan: From Genocide to Countless Acts of Solidarity - Documenting Three Years of War in Sudan

Lead

Three years after the outbreak of catastrophic conflict, Sudan remains partitioned between the warring parties and their armed allies, with no breakthrough in mediation efforts and indications of further regional escalation, according to AllAfrica's reporting. The country is split between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary-turned-rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF), former allies who overthrew a civilian-led government before violently fracturing amid plans to integrate their forces.

Coverage Comparison

AllAfrica, which aggregates African news sources, provides consistent reporting on the conflict's humanitarian toll and the resilience of Sudanese communities. The publication highlights the role of international actors, particularly the United Arab Emirates, in backing the RSF, while also noting that some Sudanese view both military factions as part of the same oppressive system with foreign patrons. The reports emphasize the scale of displacement—over 11 million people—and the widespread famine affecting millions.

Key Claims

• A nation divided: Sudan is effectively partitioned between the SAF and the RSF and their respective allies, with few signs of a breakthrough in mediation and every indication of further escalation, as reported by AllAfrica.
• Former allies turned adversaries: The SAF and RSF were former allies who overthrew a civilian-led government before violently splitting amid plans to integrate their forces, according to the same source.
• Genocide in Darfur: The RSF has committed genocide crimes in Darfur, including large-scale killings and massacres against non-Arab communities, claims reported by AllAfrica. The RSF imposed a 500-day siege on El Fasher before seizing it in October, turning its guns on remaining residents, many from non-Arab groups, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. Women and girls fleeing El Fasher describe brutal sexual violence by the RSF, including gang-rapes and abuse lasting hours or even days, as per survivor accounts cited by AllAfrica.
• Humanitarian catastrophe: Over 11 million people are displaced, and millions are experiencing famine, according to AllAfrica's reporting. The international aid system is not effectively reaching displaced people, with an estimated two-thirds living within host communities rather than camps.
• Grassroots solidarity: Sudanese communities are responding to the disaster through mutual aid and communal mobilisation, including efforts such as harvesting crops, dealing with floods, and sheltering the displaced. The most recognised expression is the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs)—decentralised mutual aid networks run by thousands of volunteers—alongside family networks, soup kitchens, and farmers' cooperatives, as detailed by AllAfrica.

Perspectives

The reporting from AllAfrica presents two contrasting viewpoints within Sudan. One camp sees the SAF as a sovereign army fighting a legitimate battle against an RSF rebel group heavily backed by the United Arab Emirates, which has enabled it to commit genocide across large parts of the country. Others view both groups as part of the same oppressive system—military actors with foreign patrons seeking to crush civilian and democratic movements and advance corporate interests. This divergence reflects the deep political fractures that preceded the current conflict.

Despite the grim outlook—with neither side able to win militarily yet both profiting from the war—the reports highlight a resilient thread: the tradition of mutual aid among Sudanese people, which has adapted to the wartime context. While international mediation falters and the aid system fails to reach many, local networks of solidarity continue to provide the most effective response to the catastrophe, according to AllAfrica.