The Current Crisis 

Since 15 April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in war between the SAF and the RSF, collapsing the country’s fragile post-revolution transition. What began as a power struggle between rival generals has spiralled into mass civilian suffering, with credible reports pointing to external backing, including UAE support to the RSF militia, fuelling horiffic violence, particularly in Darfur. 

More than 30 million people now need urgent assistance. Nearly 12 million have been displaced, and over 20 million face acute food insecurity, with famine conditions spreading. Hospitals have been destroyed, aid blocked, and entire communities uprooted. 

This is a man-made catastrophe sustained by external support and international inaction. Sudan’s civilians need immediate humanitarian support and decisive global pressure to end arms flows, protect civilians, and hold perpetrators accountable. 

Background: From Revolution to Ruin 

11 April 2019: Omar al-Bashir Overthrown 

• After months of nationwide protests triggered by rising bread prices in December 2018, Sudan’s military removed President Omar al-Bashir from power, ending his nearly 30-year despotic rule.  

• His removal followed sustained sit-ins outside the military headquarters in Khartoum, where protesters demanded full civilian rule - not a reshuffled military regime. 

17 August 2019: Civilian–Military Power-Sharing Agreement 

• Following negotiations between protest leaders and the military, a Constitutional Declaration was signed on 17 August 2019, establishing a transitional government meant to guide Sudan toward democratic elections. 

• A joint Sovereign Council was formed, combining civilian representatives and military figures, including: General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemeti”), commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)  

• The RSF, formally established in 2013, evolved from the Janjaweed militias that had been accused of mass atrocities in Darfur in the early 2000s. 

25 October 2021: Military Coup Ends Civilian Rule 

• On 25 October 2021, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved the transitional government, arrested Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other civilian leaders, and declared a state of emergency. The coup was carried out jointly by the SAF and RSF, effectively derailing Sudan’s democratic transition. 

• Burhan became Sudan’s de facto ruler, while Hemeti and the RSF remained powerful actors within the new military-dominated structure. The move triggered widespread protests, with security forces responding with lethal force. Dozens of demonstrators were killed in the months that followed. 

5 December 2022: Framework Agreement to Restore Civilian Government 

• Under mounting domestic protests and international pressure, Sudan’s military leaders signed a Framework Agreement on 5 December 2022, pledging to restore civilian governance. The agreement proposed: a two-year transitional period, a civilian-led government and a comprehensive security sector reform. 

• However, one issue proved deeply contentious:The integration of the RSF into the national army. 

Early 2023: Rising Tensions Between Burhan and Hemeti 

• By March–April 2023, relations between Burhan (SAF) and Hemeti (RSF) had deteriorated sharply. The central dispute concerned revolved around the timeline for integrating the RSF into the regular army and the command hierarchy during the transition. 

• The SAF reportedly pushed for integration within two years, while the RSF preferred a much longer timetable of up to 10 years, reflecting deeper power struggles over control of Sudan’s security apparatus. 

• Troop movements by the RSF in Khartoum and northern Sudan in early April 2023 were seen as provocative by the SAF, bringing tensions to a breaking point. 

15 April 2023 – War Erupts in Khartoum 

• On the morning of 15 April 2023, heavy fighting broke out in Khartoum between the SAF and RSF. RSF fighters attacked key sites including Khartoum International Airport, the Presidential Palace and military bases across the capital. The SAF responded with air strikes and heavy artillery. 

• The conflict quickly spread beyond Khartoum to Darfur, Kordofan and other regions, triggering a bloody civil war resulting in mass civilian casualties, ethnic violence in Darfur and widespread displacement.