Sudan once again is home to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis after a massive uptick in savage violence over the last few years – and especially during the last several weeks.
The latest mass killings are so expansive that blood-soaked earth is visible in satellite imagery of the city of El Fasher in North Darfur. This latest genocide in Sudan was entirely predictable and preventable. The international community, including the United States, must not let this happen again.
For over 900 days, men, women, and children in Sudan have been strategically trapped, hunted, and dehumanized due to the ongoing conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Starvation, displacement, torture, and execution are repeatedly deployed by RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (most often referred to as Hemedti) and his forces in their pursuit of power and control.
Families have watched helplessly as loved ones are brutalized before their eyes, children included. In total, more than 14 million people are displaced from their homes – over a quarter of Sudan’s current population.
It’s tragically ironic that this is happening just as the International Criminal Court delivered its first judgment for the 2003-2005 Darfur genocide, in which hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians were raped, bombed, and murdered by the Janjaweed with the complicity of Omar al-Bashir’s government. The landmark conviction of Commander Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (“Ali Kushayb”) on Oct. 7 for war crimes and crimes against humanity should be lauded. But it’s hollow as, at the very same time and in the very same place, tens of thousands of Sudanese citizens again face genocide and ethnic cleansing.
Perpetrated by Hemedti, the latest iteration of the Janjaweed (the RSF), and the complicity of international enablers, history in many ways is repeating itself in 2025. As President George W. Bush demonstrated in 2007 in response to the ongoing atrocities in Darfur at the time, the United States and its allies should exercise moral courage by way of diplomatic engagement, humanitarian assistance, and financial pressure. Together, they garner results.
Today, famine is a daily reality in Sudan. Preventable and treatable diseases – like diphtheria, severe malnutrition, and cholera – continue to claim the lives of kids as health and hygiene infrastructure collapse and food and water become scarcer.
Those that survive these horrors are regularly revictimized by the RSF and others as they desperately pursue safety near and far.
Places of refuge – including camps for internally displaced persons, civilian shelters, health care centers, and places of worship – are often targeted by drone strikes, artillery shelling, and ground assaults, as are food distribution efforts.
Medical and aid workers who have risked their lives in a desperate attempt to respond to the most basic needs of affected populations in North Darfur have been abducted and/or massacred. During the last week of October, over 460 patients and caregivers were murdered at the Saudi Maternity Hospital – the last functional hospital in El Fasher.
The situation is likely to worsen if the United States doesn’t correct course and reverse over a decade of U.S. retreat from meaningful prioritization of the African continent. America’s absence has left the way clear for authoritarian influences to fill the void and has emboldened illiberal actors.
What’s happening in Sudan is proof that the United States and the global community must increase pressure on all those who have enabled violence, corruption, and abuse of power across Sudan. This includes the RSF, the SAF, and external actors like Russia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, China, and North Korea who have capitalized on conflict and unstable governance to wield power.
Unchecked impunity and pervasive human suffering breed instability. Existing sanctions must be fully enforced and expanded. Those who have violated these restrictions – in supporting either the RSF or the SAF – should be held accountable. The RSF should also be designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
It’s equally paramount to support humanitarian efforts and civilian protections. Reports that aid workers are both being targeted by the RSF and expelled from Sudan by the current government illustrate the many ways the Sudanese people are being revictimized by both state and nonstate actors.
Support for independent journalism is also imperative – both to document atrocities and provide access to reliable information. At a time when authoritarianism is on the rise everywhere, and malign influences are doing all they can to manipulate and control, the U.S. government, technology firms, international allies, and global media organizations – should be doing everything possible to support efforts that are committed to advancing truth and regional perspectives. This includes supporting African journalists and independent media across the continent. This will ensure that the war crimes in Sudan are duly documented and perpetrators are held to account. They can also help prevent future violence.
Most importantly, meaningful engagement on the African continent requires swift prioritization by U.S. leaders. Commercial diplomacy is important. But it’s impossible to achieve without empowered local communities and programs that bolster well-being, resilience, and opportunity.
Most African youth prefer a democratic future for their countries. And time and again, they have proven to be an integral influence in pushing their leaders on transparency and good governance. For example, young Sudanese women (and women generally) were a significant driver of the 2019 effort to finally oust Omar al-Bashir from power. But long-term progress in the pursuit of a democratic future – especially in conflict-affected regions – requires a comprehensive approach and a deep commitment to collaboration and accountability.
The Trump Administration’s efforts to engage Arab counterparts earlier this summer in an initial attempt to end hostilities in Sudan was a good step.
But much more must be done to ensure an end to atrocities and support for a more free and fair future in Sudan and beyond. When America leads, others follow.
