Sudan’s Fight for Freedom : A Call for Civilian-Led Rule
Omar al Bashir
Throughout my research for this urgent topic, one thing has become clear to me: The Sudanese people cry out, calling for aid, but to no avail. The oppressors choose to turn a blind eye as their voices are swallowed by the depths of their suffering.
Sudan is a body fighting to heal while its own hands strangle it. The people, the heart, the lifeblood, struggle for breath, while two warring factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), tighten their grip, each claiming to be its rightful guardian. But this is not a battle for protection; it is a ruthless contest for control, fueled by greed, foreign interests, and a legacy of dictatorship. With millions displaced, famine spreading, and war crimes mounting, the question is no longer just who will rule Sudan, but whether the nation itself can survive under the weight of those who would rather see it crushed than free.
While we live within the safety of our homes and streets, countless others are denied this luxury, as the governments that should protect them, instead enable the hardships they face. Two rival powers wage war, hurting only the innocent. Hungry for power, greed, and wealth, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are locked in a volatile civil war that has harmed thousands of innocent civilians and caused nothing but tragedy and despair. Sudan, rich in natural resources—particularly gold—has become a battleground where selfish foreign interests fuel the civil war. The U.S., U.K., E.U., and, most notably, the U.A.E. bear the utmost responsibility for exacerbating this conflict. Rooted in the actions of a former dictator, this war has now unfolded into a full-scale crisis, leaving the Sudanese people in urgent need of humanitarian aid and hopes of a transition towards a civilian-led government.
In April 2023, violent conflict erupted in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, between rival armed factions, raising fears of a return to a full-scale civil war, with Sudan being a battleground throughout much of its modern history. The conflict stems from a power struggle between the SAF and the RSF—a powerful paramilitary group. Led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (SAF) and Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo (RSF), the two are waging a war for governmental control and the land's many natural resources, with no regard for the innocents caught in the brutality of this conflict. But what of the civilians? Where are their heard voices in this conflict?
As the war intensifies, humanitarian conditions are rapidly deteriorating. Sudan now faces the world's largest displacement crisis and widespread hunger, with millions forced to abandon their homes, and entire lives behind.
As of August 2024, the Famine Review Committee officially declared a famine in Sudan’s Darfur region, hitting some of the most vulnerable people, including those in Zamzam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. The camp established in 2004, to shelter those displaced by the Darfur genocide, now also shelters Sudanese civilians from the ongoing conflicts. But the crisis doesn’t stop there, millions across Sudan are also at risk.
Right now, half of Sudan’s population, about 25 million people, urgently need humanitarian aid and protection. The country is struggling with severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and fuel at emergency levels. More than 12.5 million people have been displaced, including 8.9 million within Sudan and 3.4 million displaced across neighboring countries such as Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Libya, Uganda, and Ethiopia.
The Origins of the RSF
The RSF originated as the Janjaweed, a tribal militia established under the rule of former dictator Omar Al-Bashir, who was initially tasked with carrying out a genocide in Darfur in 2003. The Darfur conflict was later condemned as a genocide against Non-Arab populations including Fur, Zaghawa and Masalit peoples in western Sudan by the International Criminal Court and the U.S. State Department. Over time, it became a mercenary militia, funded and supported by foreign nations. Following Omar Al-Bashir’s downfall, the RSF sought to further legitimize itself, gaining support from international powers, particularly the U.A.E.
The UAE has played a massive role in fueling the ongoing war, recruiting thousands of mercenary fighters from across Africa including Chad, Nigeria, and the Sahel region, many of whom are children, to fight under the RSF's command. The primary motivation behind this support is due to Sudan’s abundant natural resources, especially gold. Each year, about $35 billion worth of gold is produced through artisanal and small-scale mining across Africa, much of which is smuggled out to the U.A.E. Around 85% of Africa’s gold is smuggled to the U.A.E., with Sudan contributing to approximately 90%. While the UAE presents a false narrative as a humanitarian hero, building hospitals inaccessible to civilians and sending aid, it is, ironically, also supplying weapons to the RSF, fueling the ongoing civil war.
Why Did the War Begin?
Following the ousting of Omar al-Bashir in 2019, the Sudanese people demanded a civilian-led government. However, both the RSF and SAF resisted this transition, each seeking to maintain their own control over Sudan’s future. The RSF, in particular, sought to establish its authority, leading to clashes with the SAF, which rejected its legitimacy. International interference has further exacerbated the conflict, with external forces placing strategic bets and pursuing their own interests. Unfortunately by 2024, the conflict claimed 300,000 lives due to warfare, starvation, and many war-related tragedies. This crisis has escalated to the point where Sudan remains at the top of the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) watchlist
Holding the RSF, SAF and the U.A.E. Accountable
The people of Sudan are suffering, and accountability is crucial. The RSF, backed by the U.A.E., has been recruiting child soldiers and relying on mercenaries to maintain its control. Meanwhile, Sudan’s military-led government has failed to provide real protection, further delaying the transition to civilian rule. Both forces have committed war crimes, with the SAF bombing, arresting, torturing and killing civilians as well. The RSF have committed heinous war crimes including ethnic cleansing, burning villages, mass murder and sexual violence, which have distressingly led to women committing suicide. Both the SAF and RSF contribute to war crimes against humanity, while famine, disease and violence encircle civilians from all sides.
To end the cycle of violence, international pressure must be placed on the U.A.E. to cease its funding of the RSF. The RSF has come this far, solely due to the U.A.E. 's aid and abetment in this war. The RSF is not a legitimate military force; it is a mercenary militia driven by foreign interests. True peace in Sudan can only be achieved when the people’s demand for a civilian-led government is met, and those enabling war crimes are held accountable. The people of Sudan will not yield, nor will they be silenced, as they continue their fight for justice, freedom and hope that peace will ignite in their lands.
Citations:
Center for Preventive Action. (2025, February 20). Civil war in Sudan. Global Conflict Tracker; Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/power-struggle-sudan
Mahjoub, H. (2024, May 24). It’s an open secret: the UAE is fuelling Sudan’s war – and there’ll be no peace until we call it out. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/24/uae-sudan-war-peace-emirates-uk-us-officials
Turak, N. (2024, May 30). Dubai bling: Billions of dollars worth of African gold is being smuggled into the UAE each year, research finds. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/30/billions-of-dollars-of-african-gold-smuggled-into-uae-yearly-research.html
UNHCR. (2024, February 16). Sudan Crisis Explained. UNHCR. https://www.unrefugees.org/news/sudan-crisis-explained/
Pics:
Sudan in the grip of civil war again - Cartooning for Peace. (2023, April 20). https://www.cartooningforpeace.org/en/editos/sudan-in-the-grip-of-civil-war-again/
To end the genocide in Sudan, we must divest from the UAE | Analyst News. (2024, July 25). Analyst News. https://www.analystnews.org/posts/to-end-the-genocide-in-sudan-we-must-divest-from-the-uae
Kersten, M. (2020, February 20). Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir may finally face justice for Darfur. But the work is not yet done. The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-sudans-omar-al-bashir-may-finally-face-justice-for-darfur-but-the/
