Urgent Plea For Action As Deadly Attacks Intensify And Civilian Casualties Rise In Sudan’s Overlooked Civil War

On December 9, a heavy airstrike caused tremendous bloodshed at a busy market in Kabkabiya, a town located in the west of the Sudanese city El-Fasher, killing at least 100 people, including women and children. Worrisomely, this disastrous attack is part of a larger power struggle between the governmental Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has pushed Sudan’s population into chaos and destruction, making it the “worst humanitarian crisis” in contemporary history, according to a UN report. In light of the recent attack on the RSF-controlled town of Kabkabiya, the need for an immediate ceasefire between the warring parties is urgent in order to immediately stop the suffering of the Sudanese population and allow for reconciliation instead of destruction and violence. 

The Emergency Lawyers, a human rights group that has been closely monitoring the 20-month-long conflict in Sudan, described the bombing in Kabkabiya as a “horrific massacre” that “is a flagrant violation of international law.” Concretely, it attributes the responsibility of the attack to the SAF, which in return has denied any involvement, labelling such accusations “lies” and emphasizing that any attacks that were to be carried out on its behalf purely resulted from “its legitimate right to defend the country.” However, the army’s response does not seem credible, as Amnesty International highlights, especially considering that the SAF is known for employing air strikes aimed at gaining military control of RSF-occupied territories while often having resorted to indiscriminate attacks of densely populated residential areas, such as public gatherings and markets.  

At the same time, various organizations, including the Human Rights Watch, have also highlighted the RSF’s use of indiscriminate violence, which includes abductions, sexual assaults, and killings. Such destructive and inhumane actions have disproportionately affected civilians, with particularly devastating effects on vulnerable groups such as women and children. In total, it is estimated that since the outbreak of the conflict in April 2023, around 11 million people have been forcibly displaced, and over 60,000 have been killed as a result of the raging war between the RSF and the SAF. Particularly worrisome is that both conflict parties are heavily targeting critical infrastructure, which has caused around 80% of Sudan’s health facilities to be shut down, making immediate medical support for the population almost impossible. Simultaneously, over 25 million Sudanese people are affected by famine and at risk of starvation. The warring parties often block aid and trade flows, instrumentalizing hunger as a weapon of war to harm or even kill populations under the military control of the opposing side. This has ultimately driven the majority of the Sudanese population into mal- and undernutrition. Particularly, attacks on vital infrastructure have left many in disbelief, including Mohamed Abdiladif, country director for Save the Children, who emphasizes that the protection of schools, hospitals, and local markets is “not just as a moral obligation, but a vital step towards ensuring a stable, peaceful, and prosperous future for Sudan.”

Thus, in light of the recent attacks and their devastating impact on the civilian population, it is of utmost importance that the SAF and the RSF immediately refrain from the employment of violence and initiate negotiations for a ceasefire. Importantly, the international community must also contribute to the end of Sudan’s conflict by acting as mediators between the SAF and the RSF, a critical step considering the deeply-rooted hostility between the conflict parties. International actors must recognize that the Sudanese humanitarian crisis is on the verge of destroying the country with all that it entails; its population, infrastructure, and ability to have a prosperous future are all at risk. Hence, Western policymakers have to stop looking away from the ongoing destruction and instead need to amplify their efforts to protect the Sudanese civilian population by increasing their aid flows and conflict mitigation efforts. At the same time, regional support must also be strengthened, which means that the African Union must promptly contribute to ceasefire mitigation talks. Essentially, international and regional actors cannot look away anymore. The world needs to act immediately so that the Sudanese people and their suffering do not continue to be forgotten.



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