Sudan’s Warring Groups: The Challenges of Security in the Early Years of the Genocide, as Revealed by the U.N
The Ambassador to the U.N. spoke of how the conflict has taken a heavy toll on girls and women, and how rape is being used as a weapon of war.
He says that we have lost touch with what is happening in the Sudan’s western region. “There’s tremendous fear, there’s a lot of rape, but it would be very difficult to quantify.”
He says there was a humanitarian presence there during the early days of the genocide and it’s hard to say whether the situation is worse today or not.
Sudan’s warring groups united after the people- power revolution to overthrow long-serving dictator Osman al- Bashir. They were overthrown in a second coup in 2021.
There is a sense of strategic sense to use special operations forces in Ukraine to disrupt the flow of gold, harm Africa Corps operations, and prevent an RSF takeover,” he told NPR.
The Wall Street Journal, CNN and other international news outlets have reported Ukrainian fighters are now operating on the ground in Sudan, using drones and night vision technology to help the Sudanese army.
Ukraine entered. Its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, met Sudanese army Gen. Burhan in September in Ireland and said they discussed their “common security challenges, in particular the activities of illegal armed groups financed by Russia.”
Russia has a presence in Sudan. Its rebranded Wagner mercenaries are aligned with the RSF and Washington and others accuse them of arming the militia in return for smuggled Sudanese gold. Experts say some of those riches are being used to fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
But the presence of foreign groups has added another dimension to the war. The Sudan army is supported by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, and the U.A. is accused of supporting Hemedti.
Although the war shows no signs of abating, with international pressure for a cease-fire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan failing in March, Sudan’s military has recently been making important gains, last month reclaiming territory in the capital Khartoum.
The allies differed about the new transition and integration of the RSF group into the regular army. The Sudanese military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattat Burhan, and the RSF of Hemedti, have fought a power battle over who gets to run the nation that sits at the vital crossroads.
Sudan has the largest displacement crisis in the world according to humanitarian organizations. The fighting has forced more than 8 million people to flee their homes in the past year. The country is in need of aid and there is a risk of famine. According to many experts, the conflict may have killed as many as 15000 people, a number 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465. Hunger, malnutrition and the collapse of most health services have led to catastrophic conditions.
More than 25 million people are in need of assistance, and 18 million people across the country are in a state of hunger, according to the United Nations. The coming lean season in May, could bring “unprecedented levels of starvation,” according to Eddie Rowe, the World Food Programme’s Sudan director.
The actual death toll could be much higher, however, as the country remains nearly impossible for observers to enter. Problems with access, due to ongoing fighting but also heavy bureaucracy around the clearance of aid convoys, are also exacerbating a hunger crisis.
Since renewed fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rebel paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on April 15, 2023, more than 8 million people have fled their homes and more than 14,000 people have been killed, according to conflict monitor estimates.
Washington has imposed sanctions on senior RSF commanders and welcomed the suggestion that peace talks could be held in Saudi Arabia later this month. But expectations are muted given that previous truce negotiations in Jeddah last year failed to amount to much.
The Global Hunger Crisis in Darfur and its Memories of the Sudan’s Twenty-Year-Oldest (World Food Programme)
“Twenty years ago, Darfur was the world’s largest hunger crisis and the world rallied to respond,” World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain said last month. The people of Sudan were forgotten today.