On January 26, a devastating attack on the Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital in El Fasher, Sudan, resulted in the deaths of 70 individuals. This hospital was the last operational medical facility in the besieged city, and the assault was one in a series of tragedies as the brutal civil war between the country’s Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
Sudan lies south of Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea and is the third largest country in Africa by area. It currently tops the 2025 International Rescue Committee’s Emergency Watchlist, which identifies nations with the highest likelihood of worsening humanitarian emergencies. Without immediate intervention, the situation is expected to deteriorate further.
Even before the war began in April 2023, Sudan was amongst the world’s poorest countries. According to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), 15.8 million Sudanese citizens were in need of humanitarian aid. In 2022, the country’s average annual income was just $750 per capita. Since the conflict erupted, Sudan’s economy has shrunk by 40%, and more than 30.4 million people—over half of the country’s 48.1 million population—now urgently require humanitarian assistance. Operation Broken Silence, a nonprofit dedicated to aiding Sudanese communities, estimates that as of early February, upwards of 145,000 people have died due to violence or starvation. With 14.6 million people displaced within the nation, the IRC reports that Sudan is facing the largest and fastest-growing displacement crisis in the world and is the most severe humanitarian crisis on record.
The attack on the Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital was not an isolated incident. The country’s public infrastructure and healthcare system have been destroyed. The World Health Organization confirmed at least 119 attacks on hospitals and medical facilities, though the IRC believes the true number is higher. Preventable diseases are ravaging communities and killing thousands. The cholera death rate in Sudan is triple the global average. Multiple regions are facing dire food shortages and famine has been declared in the Zambian camp for internally displaced persons as well as other areas. Approximately 750,000 people face the most extreme level of food insecurity (IPC 5), and reports from ABC News reveal that some families have resorted to eating grass to survive. The war has also created the largest childhood education crisis in the world, leaving 19 million children without access to education, and child soldier recruitment is widespread. Civilians are subject to brutal violence, including frequent attacks on homes and refugee camps. Sexual and gender-based violence is rising, and there have been reports of trafficking and abuse. Both military factions involved in the conflict have been accused of intentionally targeting civilians and committing war crimes.
Upon taking office on January 20, President Trump issued an executive order halting U.S. foreign development assistance for 90 days, effectively shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the primary body for administering civilian foreign aid. This suspension has had devastating consequences for Sudan. Approximately 500,000 metric tons of food aid intended for crisis areas including Sudan have been delayed. Humanitarian organizations are struggling to maintain emergency food operations as USAID officials remain on leave. The impact on Sudan’s food crisis has been severe, and the international community has condemned the suspension, warning that it risks undermining global efforts to alleviate hunger and provide critical services in conflict zones.
Sudan’s current crisis stems from decades of political instability and social unrest. Since gaining independence from Britain and Egypt in 1956, the country has struggled with severe inequalities in wealth and power. The Arab-Muslim majority holds dominance while marginalized, often non-Muslim populations face systemic discrimination. Two brutal civil wars—one from 1955-1972 and another from 1983-2005—preceded South Sudan’s secession in 2011, which further fragmented the nation’s political landscape.
In 2019, longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir was ousted after months of protests, leading to a brief transitional government led by a council composed of both civilians and the military. However, this transition was derailed when General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, leader of SAF and effectively the nation’s president, and General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), head of the RSF, staged a military coup that overthrew the establishment. This was a significant setback for Sudan’s democratic aspirations and the beginning of a power struggle between Sudan’s two main military factions. The rivalry between al-Burhan’s SAF and Hemedti’s RSF erupted into full-scale warfare in April 2023, plunging the country into one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. As Operation Broken Silence stated, “This is just as much a war on the Sudanese people as it is a conflict between the army and RSF.”
Al-Burhan declared in late January that, “The armed forces are in their best condition and we will move forward with the determination of our people to eliminate the rebellion in all of Sudan.” While he has expressed support for returning to civilian rule, he insists that power will only be handed over to an elected government. Hemedti called al-Burhan’s government “radical Islamists” and claimed that the RSF is “fighting for the people of Sudan to ensure the democratic progress for which they have so long yearned” in a series of tweets. Though both men claim to be fighting for democracy and the people of Sudan, when in power, neither took meaningful steps to advance it or improve the welfare of their citizens.
The RSF was formed in 2013 to combat rebel insurgents in Darfur. It has origins in the Janjaweed (“devils on horseback”) militia, notorious for their brutal actions in Darfur during the early 2000s, which has been described as the first genocide of the 21st century. The militia was responsible for ethnic cleansing, mass rape and other war crimes against the region’s ethnic African population. The RSF grew in strength and influence over the past decade, particularly after Hemedti rose to prominence, evolving into a powerful and highly controversial force. Today, it holds significant political influence in Sudan and operates as a de facto military authority. The RSF and their allied militias continue to face allegations of targeting non-Arab populations in Darfur. The United Nations and human rights organizations have documented ongoing attacks on ethnic groups, reigniting fears of genocide in the region.
The humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan remains alarmingly underreported, largely due to a combination of political, diplomatic and historical factors. While Western nations have strategic interests in Ukraine and the Middle East, Sudan lacks the same global significance. Press restrictions and the dangers faced by humanitarian workers make it nearly impossible to provide essential aid. Additionally, there is a tendency to perceive African crises as chronic or unavoidable, which makes prompting swift global action difficult. The lack of attention to Sudan’s plight not only exacerbates the suffering of its people but highlights a broader failure to prioritize human rights and justice on the global stage.
History Teacher Karen Drohan states, “We need to be aware of and express that this is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. And we know nothing about it.”
