A deadly attack at Sabrein Market in Sudan on Saturday, February 1, claimed over 50 lives and left nearly 160 injured, overwhelming local mortuaries, according to Doctors Without Borders; the latest in the attacks as two military figures in one of Africa’s largest countries jostled for power. The Sudanese government blamed the Rapid Support Forces for the assault, but the RSF denied involvement.
What Is The Origin Of The Crisis?
In April 2024, Sudan plunged into chaos as the army and a powerful paramilitary group engaged in a brutal struggle for power. Following a 2021 coup, Sudan was ruled by a council of generals, led by two military figures now at war: Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the armed forces and de facto president, and Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”), leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Burhan’s former deputy. They clashed over the transition to civilian rule, particularly the integration of the RSF into the army and who would command the new force. Many suspect both generals were reluctant to surrender power, wealth, and influence.
The war, still ongoing, has claimed over 15,000 lives and triggered what the United Nations calls one of the world’s “largest displacement crises,” forcing about nine million people to flee their homes. Warnings of genocide persist in Darfur, where residents say they are being targeted due to their ethnicity. In January, the RSF killed at least 70 people in a similar attack on a hospital. The conflict has claimed 28,000 lives and displaced millions.
According to the United Nations, the conflict has been marked by atrocities like ethnically motivated killing and rape. The International Criminal Court is investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Formed in 2013, the RSF evolved from the Janjaweed militia, infamous for atrocities in Darfur. Under Hemedti, it has gained economic and military power, intervening in conflicts in Yemen and Libya while controlling Sudan’s lucrative gold mines.
What Has Been Sudan’s Response?
In recent weeks, the army has intensified its offensive in Omdurman, located across the Nile from the capital, Khartoum, in an effort to reclaim full control from the RSF. Sudan’s spokesperson condemned the attacks, stating that many of the victims were women and children.
“This criminal act adds to the bloody record of this militia,” he said in a statement to The Associated Press. “It constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.”
Following the attack on the market, a mortar strike hit near a hospital treating many of the wounded. Sudan’s Doctors Union confirmed that most casualties were civilians and reported a critical shortage of surgeons and nurses to assist the injured.
Chris Lockyear, secretary general of Doctors Without Borders, was at the hospital when casualties began arriving.
“There are dozens and dozens of people with devastating injuries, the morgue is full of dead bodies. What I see in front of me is a scene of utter carnage, yet another tragic example of this relentless war on people,” he told The AP.
Both sides have been accused of targeting civilians, including health workers, and indiscriminately shelling residential areas. The ongoing violence has forced emergency response teams to shut down several health centers, severely impacting medical services for thousands of residents.
What’s The Impact Of The War?
The war has plunged Sudan into one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history. Over 28,000 people have been killed, and around 9 million displaced, making it the largest displacement crisis in the world today. The conflict has devastated essential infrastructure, including hospitals, markets, and roads, leaving millions without access to food, water, or medical care.
The economy, already fragile before the war, has collapsed further. In 2023, Sudan’s economy shrank by 40%, according to the finance minister. Inflation has skyrocketed, pushing millions into extreme poverty. Agricultural production has been severely disrupted, heightening the risk of famine. Basic services, including healthcare and education, have crumbled, leaving entire generations without schooling and proper medical care.
Away from Sudan, the war has created instability across Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, and Libya, as millions of refugees have fled into these nations. Chad alone has received over 600,000 Sudanese refugees, stretching its already limited resources. In South Sudan, the influx of displaced people has worsened its fragile humanitarian situation.
The crisis has also fueled cross-border arms trafficking and increased the risk of militia activities spilling into neighboring countries. Egypt, hosting thousands of Sudanese refugees, has tightened border controls, fearing long-term economic and security risks. Meanwhile, Ethiopia, already facing its conflicts, has been drawn into tensions over disputed border regions.
The war in Sudan has destabilized regional trade routes and weakened economic ties across East and Central Africa. Sudan’s ports and roadways are vital for landlocked countries like South Sudan and Chad, and the ongoing fighting has disrupted critical supply chains.
The African Union (AU) and regional blocs have struggled to mediate effectively, exposing the limits of African-led conflict resolution efforts.
The crisis has also intensified geopolitical tensions, with foreign powers backing different sides in the conflict. This proxy involvement threatens to deepen instability, much like in Libya and other war-torn states.
