Source: TOI
Context: Sudan’s civil war, now in its third year, has escalated after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured El Fasher, the last major city in Darfur under army control — deepening fears of genocide, partition, and regional instability.
About Sudan:
What it is?
- Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a Northeast African nation currently engulfed in a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti).
Capital: The national capital is Khartoum.
Neighbouring Nations:
- Sudan shares borders with Egypt (north), Libya (northwest), Chad (west), Central African Republic (southwest), South Sudan (south), Ethiopia and Eritrea (southeast), and has a coastline along the Red Sea (east).
Key Features:
- Third-largest country in Africa (1.88 million sq. km) with a population of around 50 million.
- Rich in gold and agricultural resources, yet among the poorest globally, ranking 170th on the Human Development Index (2024).
- Experienced decades of civil wars, coups, and authoritarian rule — from British-Egyptian colonisation to Omar al-Bashir’s dictatorship (1989–2019).
- Climate vulnerability, desertification, and famine compound its humanitarian crises.
Current Issues:
- Civil War (since April 2023): A power struggle between the army (SAF) and RSF over political control and military integration.
- Humanitarian Catastrophe: Over 24 million people face acute food insecurity; famine declared in several Darfur regions.
- Ethnic Violence: Widespread killings and sexual violence against non-Arab communities, with genocide allegations in Darfur.
