What is going on in Sudan?

By Malakhi Beyah, 2025

Published 5/1/23

If you have seen the news lately, you have likely seen stories of Americans fleeing Sudan en masse as the North African country descends into disarray. But what caused this sudden crisis, and what effect does it have on the rest of the world?

The ongoing conflict has its roots in 2021, when a coup overthrew the Sudanese government. Since then, two military leaders have run the country: Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, leader of the armed forces, and Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the brutal Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Since the coup, the two leaders disputed the role each had in guiding Sudan’s future as a nation. On April 15, 2023, members of the RSF were redeployed around Sudan and were seen as a threat by the army. In the fighting that followed, over 400 civilians have died. Over the past couple of weeks, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union have called for a ceasefire in Sudan without much success. Diplomats and other foreigners from around the world have been forced to flee the country as it descends into civil war.

Sudan’s geographic location is what makes world leaders concerned about this ongoing violence. It contains a large stretch of the Nile River, which Egypt depends on for its water supply and Ethiopia relies on for electricity production. Sudan is also near the Suez Canal, putting in close proximity to a large percentage of world trade. In addition, Sudan has major oil reserves that provide energy to the rest of the world. The threat posed to these resources have prompted many nations, including the United States, to take action to try to prevent a civil war in Sudan.