Sudan's protracted war fuels massive displacement and hunger amid global neglect

Three years of fighting in Sudan have forced over 14 million people from their homes and left tens of millions starving, while the crisis receives little international focus.

The conflict that erupted in April 2023 between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s Sudanese Armed Forces and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo’s Rapid Support Forces has grown into one of the largest humanitarian disasters worldwide. Over 14 million people have been uprooted and nearly 34 million Sudanese now need assistance, representing roughly 10 % of global humanitarian demand, according to the International Rescue Committee.

United Nations data show 19.5 million are facing acute hunger and 4.5 million have fled the country as refugees. Recent UN and human-rights reports detail mass sexual violence, abductions and ethnically targeted attacks by the RSF, with some analysts citing elements of genocide, while a separate UN assessment found the Sudanese Armed Forces also responsible for war crimes. The United States has imposed an additional sanctions round on the Sudanese Armed Forces for alleged 2024 chemical-weapon use, a claim the Sudanese government rejects. Experts such as Alan Boswell of the International Crisis Group and Richard Data of the International Rescue Committee warn the crisis is being overlooked while other global hotspots dominate headlines.