Fleeing for Their Lives: Sudan’s Civil War and a Global Cry for Help
- Vardui Chtrkyan
- Nov 8
- 2 min read
By: Ixli Hidalgo
More than 8.6 million civilians living in Sudan have fled their homes since the conflict started. To put into perspective, that is about 16 percent of the total population of Sudan. The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which is the official military of Sudan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which is a powerful paramilitary group, began in April 2023 and has been called “one of the fastest unfolding crises globally” (OCHA, 2024). These two groups are fighting over the control of the military and state, originating from disagreements over the planned combination of the RSF into the SAF. The immediate cause of this civil war was the failure to agree on when this integration was going to happen, leading to a conflict between the two groups for control over the country's government and security sector. Since then, civilians in Sudan, especially in Khartoum and Darfur, have been fleeing to neighboring countries. They are fleeing by bus, on foot, or by crossing borders.
This crisis has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies, with international aid groups such as The World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), etc. struggling to keep up. Not only that but it has also made Sudan into the largest displacement crisis in the world. 17.7 million people are facing food insecurity, that is more than one third of the country's population. Of this group of people 4.9 million people are on the brink of famine. Only one in ten of these people in emergency levels of hunger are able to receive assistance due to the ongoing fighting (OCHA, 2024).
So many civilians are fleeing due to the lack of food, water, and medicine. The intense fighting in cities and villages has resulted in the destruction of homes and civilian deaths. These civilians are fleeing into neighboring countries such as Egypt, Chad, and many have been internally displaced. Even though there are resources being sent out from the United Nations (UN), the Red Cross, and the World Food Programme, there are still challenges being faced, such as funding shortages and access being blocked.
The civil war in Sudan has displaced millions of people, destroyed homes, and has killed beloved family members. It has left millions of civilians unsure of their futures. If the violence continues, it will make millions of children and civilians' lives worse and worse by the day. Sudan needs aid from around the world to reverse the damage this civil war has created. That is the only way there can be real change, to bring back peace in Sudan.
Works Cited
Sudan: One year of conflict - Key facts and figures (15 April 2024). (2024, April 14). OCHA. https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/sudan-one-year-conflict-key-facts-and-figures-15-april 2024#:~:text=Over%20700%2C000%20children%20expected%20to,internal%20displacement%20crisis%20for%20children.
Sudan crisis - BBC News. (n.d.). https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/c1yy8q1re0kt
Two years of devastation in Sudan: A civilian toll that cannot be ignored. (2025, April 11). International Committee of the Red Cross. https://www.icrc.org/en/article/two-years-devastation-sudan-civilian-toll-cannot-beignored#:~:text=Two%20years%20of%20devastation%20in,toll%20that%20cannot%20be%20ignored&text=Two%20years%20have%20passed%20since,has%20devastated%20millions%20of%20lives.
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