September 8th-12th, 2025
Escalated Attacks and Foreign Interference Deepen the Crisis in Sudan
Day by day, Sudan is entering one of the darkest phases of its crisis. Darfur becomes the most dangerous place for civilians, where they are enduring a devastating convergence of man-made Famine, mass murder, and natural disasters. A catastrophic landslide in Tarasin has killed hundreds, possibly more than 1,000, and relief efforts are being blocked by insecurity and siege conditions. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have kept al-Fashir under siege for more than a year, trapping over 270,000 people and cutting off food, medicine, and aid, while nearly half a million have been displaced since May 2024. Similar attacks have been on the rise in South, West, and North Kordofan as warring rivals compete over controlling territories, extremely endangering the lives of countless men, women, and children. Credible reports also link UAE-backed mercenary recruitment and fighters from neighboring countries to the conflict, further internationalizing the violence. Without urgent action to protect civilians, lift sieges, and hold external enablers accountable, Sudan faces famine, mass death, and regional destabilization.
Environmental Disaster and Human Loss
On August 31, a catastrophic landslide struck the village of Tarasin in the Marrah Mountains, destroying homes, schools, and health facilities. Current reports indicate that at least 375 bodies have been recovered, including ~200 children, with estimates suggesting the death toll could rise to ~1,000 people. Approximately 150 survivors, including around 40 children, are receiving urgent care, though some reports note only one confirmed survivor. Rescue efforts remain severely hindered by the conflict and poor access: aid has only been able to reach the site via donkeys and on foot. Furthermore, this natural disaster reflects on and emphasizes the vulnerable position that civilians are pushed into when they are stuck in the lethal intersection of conflict and climate shocks. Blocked trade routes and restricted humanitarian corridors mean that survivors are left to dig out bodies with their bare hands, care for the injured without medical supplies, and bury their dead without dignity. This dynamic shows that natural disasters in Sudan cannot be viewed as isolated events but rather as a multiplier of the suffering deliberately inflicted on the country by conflict actors.
Siege drive starvation
Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur State, has been under siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since roughly May 2024, when RSF fighters first began blocking roads, cutting off supply routes, and encircling the city. This siege has continued to produce catastrophic and deadly outcomes. As of mid-September, approximately 260,000 civilians remain trapped, with nearly half a million displaced since May 2025. Food and medicine are unavailable, and residents describe surviving on animal feed for over a year. Those attempting escape face RSF checkpoints where they risk extortion, violence, and execution. Satellite imagery and field reports confirm hundreds of new graves in and around Abu Shouk. Beyond al-Fashir, other cities such as Kadugli, Dilling, and El-Obeid remain cut off from essential supplies, with civilians resorting to eating leaves and grass. Prices for basic goods have skyrocketed: consumer prices are reported to be 500% higher, and water costs are unsustainable. The siege tactic is a deliberate weapon of war, violating international law and endangering hundreds of thousands with famine and disease.
Escalation of violence fueled by Foreign Actors
A UN panel of experts reports and multiple independent media reports have indicated that the United Arab Emirates UAE is supporting RSF and fueling violence in Sudan. In recent complaints, Sudanese officials have accused and presented evidence to the UN Security Council, citing UAE-linked private security firms and bases as conduits for recruitment. This foreign involvement not only fuels the war but also increases the risk of regional destabilization. Alongside the presence of fighters from Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan already documented in Darfur by several independent sources, the UAE’s alleged role highlights a dangerous trend of internationalization of the conflict. Due to Sudan’s geographic placement, bordered by nearly five fragile states, there is an increased risk for regional spillover and destabilization of other countries in the region. Without accountability for external enablers, the violence will continue to escalate, create more instability and destruction across sub-Saharan Africa.
Collapse of Protection Mechanisms
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned of “catastrophic” conditions in al-Fashir. Civilians face relentless bombardment, no safe escape routes, and widespread sexual violence against women and girls, particularly in displacement camps. Humanitarian convoys remain blocked, hospitals and markets are shelled, and attacks on aid workers continue. Both RSF and SAF have demonstrated utter disregard for international humanitarian law, targeting civilians, medical facilities, and essential infrastructure. Sudan’s press and independent media are also being silenced: at least 31 journalists have been killed, and dozens of news outlets shuttered, leaving atrocities undocumented and accountability obstructed.
Escalation and Spread of Violence in Surrounding Regions
This violence is not limited to Darfur alone. Recently, violence in Kordofan and Darfur has escalated at an alarming rate. This expansion has led to the death of hundreds of civilians and widespread displacement in the Kordofan states. As SAF takes over more cities around Khartoum and central Sudan, the RSF has become concentrated in Darfur and Kordofan. With increased competition over territories, rising death and destruction of properties, and mass murder and famine have skyrocketed in both Darfur and the Kordofan region. This surge of violence underscores that the crisis is national in scope, with Darfur and Kordofan at its epicenter.
The suffering of Sudanese people has been enabled for far too long. We call on the international community and multilateral bodies, including the UN Security Council, the African Union, and regional partners, to take the following actions immediately:
- Authorize emergency and unconditional humanitarian access to Tarasin and similarly affected regions; deploy mobile health clinics and emergency shelters.
- Demand that RSF and SAF open safe corridors out of al-Fashir and other besieged cities in South Kordofan; urgently provide aid, medicine, and food to trapped civilians.
- Investigate and publicly condemn the recruitment and use of foreign mercenaries, including those allegedly recruited by the UAE; impose sanctions and diplomatic pressure to hold both enablers and perpetrators accountable.
- Deploy UN-led protection forces under Chapter VII mandates where feasible, to protect civilians, displacement camps, medical facilities, and aid workers.
- Impose financial and legal accountability (through international courts / ICC) on those directly responsible, including any outside entities aiding violence.
- Increase funding and logistical support for relief operations, especially in remote zones affected by combined conflict and environmental disasters.
With collective effort, we can prevent more deaths, hold perpetrators accountable, and protect the civilians still at risk.
With Gratitude,
Niemat Ahmadi
President, Darfur Women Action Group
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