Violence against civilians in Sudan is a present and brutal reality, not a distant abstraction. The country’s crisis has a long, brutal history and shows no sign of easing. Conflicts have drawn global attention because the toll on people is devastating, with indiscriminate bombings and attacks that deepen ethnic tensions. According to the NGO Doctors Without Borders, the pattern is grim: violence worsens humanitarian need and turns a fragile moment into a prolonged crisis for refugees and residents alike.
Across the fighting between army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, more than 12,000 lives have been lost in under nine months. This figure comes from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project and is supported by humanitarian groups. A recent MSF study shows that firearms and direct attacks account for the vast majority of deaths, underscoring how gun violence dominates the casualty tally in this conflict.
Even before the hostilities intensified, the nation faced extreme deprivation. Hunger affected roughly one in three Sudanese people, seven million children were out of school, and rural areas bore the brunt of disruption as poverty spread across much of the population. The escalation of violence has sparked a massive displacement crisis, with millions forced to flee across borders to Chad, South Sudan, and beyond. Some have attempted perilous journeys toward the Mediterranean, moving through Libya, Tunisia, and even reaching Europe in search of safety. UNICEF and other agencies warn that without swift and sustained action, this could become one of the world’s largest displaced-person crises in recent memory.
Estimates suggest that up to half a million people have sought refuge in Chad alone, a country that has long hosted refugees. Chad has taken steps to strengthen its response, enacting new refugee legislation and expanding protections, but the scale is daunting. The humanitarian community urges neighboring nations to prepare for continued arrivals and to ensure access to aid for those already sheltering across borders.
Intergenerational disaster
Today, about 24 million Sudanese children face a perilous path if fighting continues. The country’s youth population includes roughly 14 million children in urgent need of humanitarian assistance within a nation of around 48 million people. Violence, famine, and looting touch nearly every province. The welfare of these children is a keystone for tomorrow’s stability, and health and education systems are at risk of collapse. UNICEF has warned that consequences will stretch beyond the immediate crisis, threatening the country’s future and the region as millions of children could be kept from school this year unless rapid aid and sustained funding are secured. The focus on protecting the lives and rights of children remains central to the humanitarian response, as emphasized by UNICEF and partner organizations.
Humanitarian groups stress that donor attention remains fragile. Ongoing funding gaps mean essential needs such as food aid and nutrition programs face uphill battles. MSF notes persistent malnutrition alongside gaps in shelter, water, and sanitation for those displaced or living in hard-hit areas. These conditions complicate relief efforts and elevate the risk of disease, crypto-insecurity, and renewed cycles of dependence among affected communities.
Response efforts by Western governments have included temporary protections for Sudanese refugees, similar to measures taken for Ukrainians earlier in the conflict. Observers point to uneven global engagement and a perceived discrepancy in how different refugee situations are prioritized. The humanitarian landscape calls for consistent, principled action that treats all civilians affected by conflict with equal urgency, rather than drawing bright lines between regions. The ongoing crisis in Sudan highlights the need for sustained, rights-based protection and robust, predictable funding to prevent a deeper humanitarian catastrophe, with evaluation and reporting provided by MSF, UNICEF, and ACLED.