Sudan’s Darfur Crisis Escalates Amid Ongoing Civil War
Sudan’s civil war, now in its third year, has plunged the Darfur region into a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.
Recent attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on refugee camps near El-Fasher have left hundreds feared dead, exacerbating what the United Nations has called the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
Surge in Violence
Between Thursday and Saturday, the UN verified 148 killings in assaults on the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps, which house over 700,000 displaced people.
UN spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani, said—noting that the toll excludes Sunday’s violence and is likely higher:
At least nine aid workers were among the casualties.
The RSF, accused of targeting civilians in a bid to seize El-Fasher — the last Sudanese army stronghold in Darfur — denied responsibility, claiming the army used the camps as “military barracks” and civilians as “human shields.”
Humanitarian Toll
The conflict, pitting the RSF against the Sudanese army since April 2023, has displaced nearly 13 million people, with 4 million fleeing to neighboring countries.
In Darfur, famine-like conditions grip 637,000 people, and 24.6 million Sudanese — half the population — face acute hunger.
“Sudan is now worse off than ever before,” said Elise Nalbandian of Oxfam, highlighting the crisis’s unprecedented scale.
The UN’s Volker Türk warned that ongoing attacks underscore the “cost of inaction by the international community.”
International Response
On April 15, 2025, ministers from 20 countries gathered in London, co-hosted by the UK, African Union, and European Union, to address Sudan’s crisis.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced a £120m aid package, stressing that Sudan’s stability is “vital for our national security.”
However, critics argue that global attention remains diverted by other conflicts, leaving Sudan “ignored,” as Leni Kinzli of the World Food Programme noted.
A Path Forward?
The RSF’s alleged genocide in Darfur, coupled with both sides’ reported war crimes, demands urgent accountability.
Without sustained diplomatic pressure and humanitarian access, Sudan’s civilians will continue to bear the brunt of this brutal conflict.