Sudan faces escalating violence as conflict between the SAF and RSF intensifies, resulting in thousands displaced and dire humanitarian conditions. Recent shelling incidents near hospitals highlight the grave danger to civilians. While SAF makes territorial gains, the RSF maintains control over significant regions, complicating prospects for peace and exacerbating humanitarian crises, including widespread famine and disease outbreaks.
Recent violence in Sudan has intensified, particularly in Khartoum State, as fighting escalates between the Sudanese army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Shelling in areas like Omdurman, where two explosions took place near Al-Nau Hospital, has raised alarms about civilian safety and highlights the ongoing conflict’s toll, resulting in rising casualties. With more than 10,000 people facing famine and over 12 million displaced, the humanitarian situation is dire.
The conflict, which erupted in April 2023, stems from a power struggle between SAF leader Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. Amidst the chaos, the RSF has gained control of much of Khartoum and surrounding regions, prompting military offensives aimed at reclaiming the capital. As the tensions mount, the prospect of a resolution remains unlikely, with the RSF still holding significant territory in Sudan.
The SAF’s recent gains, including the retaking of the Kafouri district, signify a crucial shift in momentum against the RSF. However, analysts caution that despite these military successes, the RSF’s retreat would not indicate total defeat, as they continue to exert control in western Sudan and maintain access to vital resources, such as gold mines in Darfur.
In addition to military clashes, civilians in Khartoum are facing severe health crises, with reports of cholera outbreaks and increased violence, including looting and reprisals. Organizations like Doctors Without Borders are working frantically to provide medical assistance to the beleaguered population, emphasizing the deteriorating living conditions amid ongoing conflict.
The international community has condemned the violence, and the US has imposed sanctions on both Al-Burhan and Dagalo for their roles in the humanitarian catastrophe and for civilian deaths. Aid efforts, however, face significant setbacks, particularly following the recent suspension of US foreign aid, which has been critical to supporting emergency responses in Sudan.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan began as a power struggle between two military factions—the SAF and the RSF—leading to widespread violence, displacement, and humanitarian crises. With fighting largely concentrated in and around Khartoum, the situation has severely impacted civilians, with numbers of casualties, malnutrition, and disease outbreaks on the rise. The military dynamics are continuously evolving, making any prediction of future developments in this protracted conflict challenging.
The situation in Sudan, marked by rising violence and a worsening humanitarian crisis, poses significant challenges for civilians caught in the conflict. The ongoing power struggle within the military complicates prospects for peace, as both factions vie for control. With substantial territory remaining under RSF influence and increasing health issues among civilians, aid and international intervention remain critical as conditions continue to deteriorate.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
