All Eyes on Sudan

Recently on TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms, many creators have been discussing the crisis in Sudan. But what exactly is going on? To start, context is required.

The crisis stems from 2019, when former president Omar al-Bashir was removed from office, tried, and subsequently convicted on corruption charges. His removal came as a result of the citizens' push for democracy. There were crowds of people who wanted an end to his 30-year rule, and in 2019, the army conducted a successful coup. A civilian-military government was created but then overthrown in 2021. This coup was performed by the centerpieces of this conflict, the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. At the time, Dagalo was Burhan’s deputy, but the two differed over civilian rule and where Sudan was going as a country. It’s rumored that both were desperately trying to stay in power and didn’t want to lose any money. The situation only escalated as the RSF was deployed all around the country and the army was threatened. The issue boiled over on April 15, 2023 after a shooting took place between the two groups and from there, the fighting broke out. The RSF took a large portion of Khartoum and controlled it until March 2025.

The RSF was formed in 2013 and originated from the Janjaweed militia that fought rebels in Darfur. Because of this they were accused of a genocide against the non-Arab Darfur people. General Dagalo has gone on to create a very powerful military and is in control of some Sudanese gold mines. It is alleged that some of the gold gets smuggled into the UAE, though the UAE has denied this. The RSF has also been accused of receiving weapons and soldiers from Libyan General Khalifa Haftar. The RSF has formed a rival government, and has seized territory along Sudan’s border with Libya and Egypt. They subsequently captured el-Fasher, which means it now controls most of Darfur and a lot of Kordofan.

The opposition to the RSF, which is the SAF, has control over much of the north and east regions of Sudan. It is rumoured to be helped by Egypt, as the two share a border and the Nile River. General Burhan turned Port Sudan into his headquarters, but the city was then hit by a drone attack from the RSF in March. This attack was retaliation from the RSF’s loss of Khartoum. When the RSF left Khartoum, the city was devastated. Hospitals, banks, buildings, all charred and destroyed. The army has managed to win back Gezira, but the last bastion of Darfur in el-Fasher fell to the RSF in October.

    The war has taken a turn for the worst, as what has been described as acts of genocide is currently unfolding. The RSF has been accused of carrying out harrowing acts of asinine violence against Darfuris, with UNICEF reporting that women and girls as young as one are being raped. Some children have attempted to end their lives because of this. In the same month this report was given, the Human Rights Watch claimed it could be possible that there is a genocide against the non-Arabs in Darfur being caused by the RSF. Following investigations by the UN failed to come to that conclusion, although it claimed that both the RSF and the SAF are at fault for committing war crimes. There are satellite images of mass graves of civilians. 25 million people are affected by famine, with 4 million children currently malnourished. 

It is important to stay informed as the war in Sudan develops, especially with the misinformation circling around social media.