Sudanese nomads have been trapped in the desert outside of the central Sudanese city of al-Obeid, and are being threatened by bandits, deepening ethnic splits. This war has threatened the livelihood of these Sudanese nomads, including Gubara al-Basheer and his family.

Al-Basheer and his family are Sudanese nomad’s that traversed Sudan’s desert with camels and livestock. On February 9th, al-Basheer told Reuters, a news agency, that, “We used to be able to move as we wanted. Now there is no choice and no side accepts you.” Nomads from from North Kordofan reiterated that they have found themselves trapped as ethnic hatred (linked to the war and fueled largely by online posts) poses an enormous risk of robberies. Ibrahim Jumaa, a local researcher, explained further that millions across Sudan are facing threats from bandits who steal livestock. Hamid Mohamed, a shepherd, told in interview conducted by Reuters that “There are so many problems now. We can’t go anywhere and if we try we get robbed,”.

Sudan is the world’s largest and fastest displacement crisis, where people are unable to flee. The United States and human rights groups have accused the Rapid Support Forces (R.S.F.) of committing a genocide against non-Arabs in West Darfur during this conflict. The R.S.F. had denied the claims that they are targeting those of non-Arab ethnicities. The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, calls on the international community to intervene to stop the killing of innocent civilians. As the rise of ethnic splits intensifies, so does the importance of countering hate speech, imposing rule of law and promoting social reconciliation. It is inherently clear that, not only should there be a push on rebuilding social cohesion, but to also take the steps to end this war.

The fighting in the capital, Khartoum, began on April 15th, 2023, due to rising tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (S.A.F.) and R.S.F. This fighting led to the civil war in Sudan. More than 150,000 people have been killed since the start of the fighting. In addition to the unfortunate deaths, it has left nearly 14 million people displaced, and has spread famine and disease. Turk told Member States at the Human Rights Convention in Geneva that “We can only expect worse to come unless action is taken to halt the bloodshed.” As this develops, people all around the world hope to see the de-escalation of violence in Sudan and the decrease of ethnic tensions among the Sudanese.

Currently, there is no end in sight to the death and displacement of civilians such as the Sudanese nomads mentioned above. These nomads are trapped; They are unable to traverse deserts and they face bandits who threaten robbery. It is imperative to preserve the livelihood of families like al-Basheer’s, as well as other Sudanese nomads amidst this war.