Lately, a number of videos and pictures have gone viral on social media, depicting the brutality currently faced by the people of Sudan.

Many of the images show Sudanese civilians—mostly women and children—being cruelly murdered. There are also numerous reports stating that women, regardless of age, have been sexually assaulted.

So, what is actually happening in Sudan right now?

In April 2023, Sudan plunged into a civil war following a power struggle between the army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Image credit: BBC

The war has led to famine and genocide in the western Darfur region, primarily in the city of El-Fasher, after it was captured by the RSF.

While the exact death toll hasn't been revealed, estimates suggest that more than 150,000 people have lost their lives in the conflict, with around 12 million displaced from their homes.

Why did the civil war happen?

Image Credit: Arab News

According to the BBC, tensions in the country peaked when President Omar al-Bashir, who came to power following a coup in 1989, was removed.

A joint military-civilian government was then formed, but it was short-lived and overthrown in another coup in October 2021.

The 2021 coup was staged by two men:

Image Credit: Al Jazeera

• General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (head of the armed forces and, effectively, the country’s president)
• His deputy, RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti

However, the two leaders soon disagreed over the country’s future and the proposed transition to civilian rule.

Initially, the plan was to integrate the RSF’s 100,000 fighters into the army, which would then lead the unified force. But suspicions arose that both generals were unwilling to relinquish power, fearing a loss of wealth and influence.

On April 15, 2023, the two sides clashed after days of rising tension, triggered by the RSF redeploying its forces across the country, a move the army perceived as a threat.

Who are the RSF fighters?

Formed in 2013, the RSF originated from the notorious Janjaweed militia (a Sudanese Arab nomadic group) that fought rebels in Darfur. The Janjaweed were accused of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the region’s non-Arab population.

Since its formation, Hemedti has built a powerful force that has intervened in conflicts in Yemen and Libya.

Allegedly, he also smuggled gold into the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as he controls several of Sudan’s gold mines.

Image Credit: The New York Times

The Sudanese army accuses the UAE of backing the RSF, though the Gulf state denies the allegation. Additionally, eastern Libyan strongman General Khalifa Haftar has been accused of supporting the RSF by smuggling weapons into Sudan and sending fighters to bolster its ranks.

In June 2025, the RSF achieved a significant victory by taking control of territory along Sudan’s borders with Libya and Egypt.

The RSF had previously seized Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, until the army regained control nearly two years later in March 2025.

The fall of El-Fasher

At the end of October 2025, El-Fasher, the last major urban centre in Darfur, fell to the RSF.

During an 18-month siege, the RSF surrounded the city with a sand barrier, trapping most of its 250,000 residents. Throughout those months, the RSF rampaged through the city, reportedly killing thousands.

Image Credit: Al Jazeera

In an interview with NBC News, one resident who escaped described the experience as “extremely intense.”

Mutaz Mohamed Musa, 42, joined thousands trying to flee El-Fasher but was quickly surrounded by RSF fighters in pickup trucks.

“They opened direct fire on civilians. People scattered in all directions as they were chased and run over by the trucks.”

Mutaz estimated that only 150 people made it past the sand barrier. Sadly, he and dozens of others weren’t so lucky.

“We were captured by the RSF. They would ask a man to run, and once you started running, they’d shoot you. I was only freed after my family agreed to pay a ransom over the phone," he said,

After I was released, I made my way to the small town of Tawila, about 48km west of El-Fasher,” he explained.

Thankfully, Mutaz wasn’t alone, about 5,000 others also managed to reach Tawila, according to Arjan Hehenkamp, Darfur crisis lead for the International Rescue Committee in Sudan.

Is what’s happening in Sudan considered genocide?

Image Credit: UNICEF

Many people in Darfur believe that the RSF and allied militias are waging a war aimed at transforming the ethnically mixed region into an Arab-ruled domain.

In 2024, Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated it was possible that the RSF and its allies were committing genocide against the Massalit people and other non-Arab communities.

A subsequent UN investigation stopped short of declaring genocide but confirmed that both the RSF and the army had committed war crimes.

In January 2025, the United States officially determined that the RSF and allied militias had committed genocide.

Attempts to end the conflict

Despite several rounds of peace talks in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, efforts to end the conflict have so far failed.

According to Anne Soy, BBC Deputy Africa Editor, both sides—especially the army—have shown little willingness to agree to a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, UN Health Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep sorrow that the Sudan conflict has received less global attention compared to other crises.

Malaysia calls for an end to the violence

Image Credit: FMT

In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed his concern over the tragedy:

“What we are witnessing now is a humanitarian disaster of mass killings, starvation, and mass displacement that truly shocks the conscience."

He added, "Malaysia calls for an immediate cessation of violence and for the protection of civilians in full accordance with international humanitarian law. We stand in solidarity with the people of Sudan and urge the international community to act decisively to prevent further suffering.”

Featured Image Credit: HRW, BBC, Amnesty International