Sudan Civil War
Sudan's civil war has entered its fourth year, increasingly resembling a war of attrition defined by a de facto territorial division between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with the SAF recently reclaiming the presidential palace in central Khartoum as a major tactical victory[1][3].
Front lines have largely stabilized into a split between the army controlling much of the north and center while the RSF holds parts of Darfur and other western areas, yet hostilities have intensified in Kordofan and Darfur with widespread drone warfare killing over 1,000 civilians in the first five months of 2026[1][2].
The conflict has further fragmented the country and weakened governance structures, leaving nearly half the population facing acute hunger and 14 areas at risk of famine as humanitarian access remains severely constrained by insecurity and bureaucratic impediments[1][7].
Prospects for a negotiated settlement remain remote as both sides show no inclination to pursue peace, despite continued mediation efforts by regional and international interlocutors that have failed to generate meaningful momentum[1][5].
The humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate with approximately 30 million people needing aid, over 11 million displaced, and 24.6 million suffering acute hunger, making Sudan the world's largest internal displacement and hunger crisis[1][4].
The overarching issue for the Council remains how to help bring an end to the fighting, support a sustainable ceasefire, and advance a credible civilian-led political transition amid escalating drone warfare, regional spillover risks, and proxy dynamics sustained by continued external arms flows[1][2].
Sudan's current war grew out of a long history of military rule, uneven state development, and repeated conflicts in the country's peripheries. After independence, successive governments struggled to build durable civilian institutions, while war in regions such as Darfur deepened mistrust between the center and armed communities on the margins[7][10].
The Darfur conflict of the 2000s helped create the paramilitary networks that later became the Rapid Support Forces, while Omar al-Bashir's 1989 coup consolidated authoritarian rule and entrenched the security state[7][10].
When Bashir was removed in 2019, Sudan entered a fragile transition in which the army and RSF remained powerful, the civilian order stayed weak, and long-running tensions over command, resources, and regional grievances were left unresolved[7][13].
Timeline
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)
Sudan's regular army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, fighting to reassert national control.
Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
Paramilitary force led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo that is contesting the army for dominance.
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
Head of the SAF and Sudan's de facto leader, directing the army's military and diplomatic strategy.
Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti)
RSF leader and the army chief's principal rival in Sudan's power struggle.
Government of Ethiopia
Neighboring state drawn into border and security disputes with Sudan and accused by Khartoum of hostile involvement.
United Arab Emirates
Regional power widely accused of supporting the RSF while denying direct participation.
- •The Sudanese Armed Forces aim to defeat the RSF, restore centralized state authority, and limit external support to its rival.
- •The Rapid Support Forces aim to preserve territory, retain military and political influence, and shape any future settlement.
- •Sudan's military-backed authorities aim to defend sovereignty and resist what they describe as foreign interference in the war.
- •Ethiopia aims to secure its frontier and reduce cross-border insecurity along the Sudanese border.
- •The United Arab Emirates aims to protect its regional interests while denying direct military involvement in Sudan.
Sudanese Army Perspective
The Sudanese Armed Forces present the war as a defense of the state against a rival armed force that has challenged national unity and civilian safety. They also argue that outside interference has prolonged the conflict and that restoring order requires defeating the RSF and reasserting government authority.
RSF Perspective
The RSF describes itself as a major political and military actor rather than a rebel faction. Its leaders frame the war as a struggle over Sudan's future power structure and their own place in it.
Ethiopian Perspective
Ethiopia rejects Sudan's accusations and says Khartoum is using border claims to deflect from its internal crisis. Addis Ababa also presents frontier security as a shared concern that should not be turned into a wider confrontation.
UAE Perspective
The UAE denies direct military involvement in Sudan and says it supports stability and humanitarian relief. Abu Dhabi rejects allegations that it is fueling the war, even as other actors continue to accuse it of backing the RSF.
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