Sudan enters a fourth year of war as officials lament an ‘abandoned crisis’

CAIRO — CAIRO (AP) — Famine. Massacres. And now essential food and supplies are in short supply. Sudan marks a fourth year of conflict on Wednesday, labeled an “abandoned crisis,” while a new conflict in the Middle East overshadows the ongoing turmoil that has displaced 13 million people.

Sudan is facing one of the most significant humanitarian challenges globally, particularly concerning displacement and hunger. The ongoing conflict between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has caused widespread devastation in the vast Darfur region.

There is mounting evidence of regional powers like the United Arab Emirates providing covert support to combatants. Efforts by the United States and other regional powers, preoccupied with the Iran war, have been unsuccessful in brokering a ceasefire.

United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher lamented, “This somber anniversary underscores another year where the world has fallen short in addressing the crisis in Sudan.”

The conflict has resulted in at least 59,000 casualties, with a further 6,000 lives lost during a three-day rampage by the RSF in el-Fasher, as reported by the U.N. Experts have characterized the offensive as displaying “defining characteristics of genocide.”

The war has exacerbated famine in Sudan, with a projected increase in severe acute malnutrition affecting 800,000 individuals, as stated by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. Approximately 34 million Sudanese, nearly two-thirds of the population, require assistance, with health facilities facing significant challenges in maintaining operations amidst disease outbreaks.

Moreover, rising fuel prices due to the Iran war have led to a 24% hike in Sudan, impacting food costs and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Denise Brown, the top U.N. official in Sudan, expressed frustration with the international community’s lack of focus on ending the conflict, emphasizing, “Please don’t refer to this as the forgotten crisis. It is an abandoned crisis.”

The conflict erupted from a power struggle following Sudan’s transition to democracy after the ousting of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, leading to tensions between military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan and RSF commander Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

Sudan is now divided between a military-backed government in Khartoum and an RSF-controlled administration in Darfur, with neither side able to achieve a decisive victory.

The conflict has seen atrocities and human rights abuses, with hospitals and medical workers targeted, resulting in over 2,000 fatalities, according to the WHO.

The International Criminal Court is investigating potential war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in Darfur, a region synonymous with genocide and war crimes.

The conflict in Sudan has broader implications, with concerns that it could spill over the country’s borders, further complicating an already dire situation.

The ongoing conflict has left millions displaced and struggling to rebuild their lives in the face of immense challenges, emphasizing the urgent need for international intervention and support.

Associated Press writers Fatma Khaled in Cairo and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.