Sudan's civil war escalates as South Sudan faces renewed threat of conflict

By Nathan Morley

Nicolas Haysom described the situation as “dire,” urging President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar to prioritize the needs of their people over personal interests.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after years of conflict, but ethnic divisions plunged the country into civil war in 2013. 

Meanwhile, in Sudan, the army recaptured the presidential palace in Khartoum, marking a significant victory against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the ongoing civil war. 

Sudan’s information minister, Khaled al-Aiser, confirmed the military’s success, stating the flag was raised, the palace is back, and the journey continues until victory is complete.

The conflict in Sudan has been described by the head of the UN children’s agency as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. 

Tens of thousands have been killed, millions displaced, and famine has forced some families to eat grass to survive.

The crisis stems from years of instability following the 2019 ousting of longtime autocratic president Omar al-Bashir. 

A brief transition to democracy was derailed in 2021 by a military coup led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. By 2023, tensions escalated into full-scale fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF.

Both sides have faced allegations of human rights abuses throughout the war.