Sudan Conflict Escalates, Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

The UN reports that over 400 people have been killed in recent attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan's Darfur region, citing "credible sources". The attacks, which included intense ground and aerial assaults on refugee camps surrounding the city of el-Fasher, have also forced thousands to flee their homes. The RSF and the Sudanese army have been locked in a power struggle since April 2023, creating a massive humanitarian crisis. The UN verified 148 killings between Thursday and Saturday, with at least nine humanitarian aid workers among those killed. The RSF has denied responsibility for attacks on civilians, claiming scenes of killing were staged to discredit its forces.

Attacks by Sudan's Rapid Support Forces and allied militias on famine-hit camps in Darfur have killed at least 100 people, including 20 children and nine aid workers. The two-day attack on the Zamzam and Abu Shorouk camps and the city of el-Fasher began on Friday, with the camps being attacked again on Saturday. The violence forced around 2,400 people to flee and destroyed homes and infrastructure in the camps, which shelter over 700,000 displaced people. The UN has condemned the attacks as a "deadly and unacceptable escalation" in the conflict, which has created the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with 25 million people facing extreme hunger.

The UK is announcing a £120m aid package for Sudan at a conference in London to mark the two-year anniversary of the conflict, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy warning that "much of the world continues to look away" from the crisis, which has left over 30 million people in need of aid and 12 million displaced. The funding will support over 650,000 Sudanese people in the financial year 2025-26.

Sudan is experiencing the world's largest humanitarian crisis after two years of civil war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, hundreds of thousands facing famine, and almost 13 million people displaced, with 4 million fleeing to neighboring countries. The war has been marked by widespread human rights abuses, including genocide, war crimes, and attacks on refugee camps. The international community has been criticized for its inaction, with diplomatic efforts often being overshadowed by other global crises. Recent attacks by the RSF on refugee camps in Darfur have killed hundreds, with the UN verifying 148 killings and reporting that the total number of dead may exceed 400. The crisis has been exacerbated by a lack of access to food, with 24.6 million people - almost half of Sudan's population - not having enough to eat, and a declared famine affecting 637,000 people in Darfur.

A UK-led conference on Sudan failed to establish a contact group to facilitate ceasefire talks due to disagreements among Arab states, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, over a joint communique. The conference aimed to build greater political coherence on Sudan's future, but the refusal to sign the communique represents a significant diplomatic setback in efforts to end two years of civil war. The war has killed tens of thousands, displaced 13 million, and pushed large parts of the country into famine. The leader of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, declared the establishment of a rival government, further complicating the situation. The UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, and other counterparts issued a joint statement pledging to support efforts to find a peaceful solution, while aid and human rights groups called for punishment for countries accused of sending arms to the warring parties in breach of a UN arms embargo.

Tens of thousands of people have fled attacks on displaced families' camps in Sudan's Darfur region after paramilitary forces, known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), launched an assault on the Zamzam camp, with eyewitnesses describing widespread destruction and loss of life, and the UN estimating over 400 civilians and 12 aid workers killed.