Soldiers of the Sudanese Armed Forces escort Darfur’s governor during a stopover in the eastern city of Gedaref.© AFP/Getty Images
The civil war in Sudan, which began on 15 April 2023 and is now approaching its third year, continues to unfold with rapid developments on the ground.
The Sudanese army, along with its allies, including radical Islamist militias, has made significant advances in reclaiming strategic areas such as Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira State, among others.
However, these military gains have been overshadowed by grave human rights violations against civilians, sparking international concern and prompting the United States to impose sanctions on Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
Victories tainted by bloodshed
In January 2025, the Sudanese army regained control of Wad Madani, Sudan’s second-largest city and the capital of Gezira, after months of RSF control. This victory came as part of a large-scale counteroffensive launched during the dry season in October 2024, which saw the army break the RSF siege of its headquarters in Khartoum and retake key areas in Omdurman and Bahri.
Political analyst Zeidan told the BBC: “The army has reclaimed the initiative, marking a decisive shift on the battlefield—one that defies the constraints of U.S. sanctions.” However, reports from international organisations and local testimonies highlight widespread violations against civilians in the reclaimed areas.
Human Rights Watch documented indiscriminate aerial bombardments targeting residential areas and places of worship in Wad Madani, including the bombing of Sheikh al-Geili Mosque in October 2024, which resulted in dozens of deaths.
Widespread violations: killings, arrests, and abductions
The abuses extend beyond indiscriminate shelling, encompassing extrajudicial executions and mass arrests of civilians accused of supporting the RSF or acting as its “social incubator.”
A report from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in February 2024 stated: “The army and its allies have carried out arbitrary arrests and incommunicado detentions, with reports of civilians being tortured.”
The report further noted that, as of July 2023, at least 500 people, including 24 women, remained unaccounted for. In Gezira State, the Wad Madani Resistance Committee reported that the army and its allied Islamist militias had been kidnapping anyone suspected of having ties to the RSF.
Reuters quoted eyewitnesses who reported that “army personnel executed young men in northern Gezira villages on mere suspicion of RSF loyalty.”
Rejection of peace and U.S. sanctions
Despite international mediation efforts—led by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the African Union—both the Sudanese army and the RSF have refused to sign a peace agreement. A U.S. diplomat told The New York Times in January 2025: “Al-Burhan prefers war over negotiations.”
As a result, the United States imposed sanctions on al-Burhan on 16 January 2025, citing the targeting of civilians and infrastructure, obstruction of humanitarian aid, and refusal to engage in peace talks.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged for “urgent dialogue between the warring parties,” while Special Envoy Ramtane Lamamra continues mediation efforts, though progress remains limited as of March 2025.
Impact on Sudan’s neighbours and broader Africa
The repercussions of Sudan’s war extend far beyond its borders, with neighbouring countries such as Uganda bearing the brunt of the humanitarian fallout.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that over 11 million Sudanese have been displaced, with 1.5 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.
Uganda, already hosting over 1.5 million refugees, has received thousands more Sudanese, further straining its limited resources. Edmore Tundlana from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted the disproportionate impact on women and girls, with alarming reports of rape and abductions.
The growing ethnic violence in Darfur and Gezira has raised fears that the conflict could spill over into neighbouring states like Chad and Ethiopia, while Uganda remains concerned about the flow of arms and fighters across its northern border, potentially bolstering insurgent groups in the region.
The African Union has warned that the continuation of the war poses a severe obstacle to the continent’s broader development efforts. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, during a diplomatic tour of Africa in June 2023, emphasised the “urgent need for a resolution to the Sudanese crisis,” warning of its “far-reaching dangers for the entire continent.”
The war in Sudan presents a grim paradox: while the army secures battlefield victories, civilian suffering deepens, and peace remains elusive—further destabilising the region. For Uganda and broader Africa, the ongoing conflict translates into mounting humanitarian and security challenges, necessitating urgent international intervention to stop the bloodshed and ensure accountability.
Will Sudan’s crisis continue to expose the world’s inability to act, or could it spark a genuine regional solidarity for lasting peace?
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