US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that President Donald Trump has personally taken charge of efforts to halt Sudan’s brutal civil war, now in its third year of devastating civilian suffering.
During a White House cabinet meeting, Rubio declared Trump “the only leader in the world capable of resolving the Sudan crisis”.
Last month, Trump revealed plans for the US to partner with the “Quad” – United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, plus other regional allies – to broker peace and a democratic transition.
Speaking at a US conference, Trump said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally asked him to intervene. He described Sudan as “one of the most violent places in the world” facing the planet’s largest humanitarian emergency and noted international leaders have urged him to use his influence to stop the bloodshed.
The war’s roots and recent escalation
Sudan’s conflict exploded in April 2023 when government-led Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) clashed with paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for control of Khartoum and beyond.
Peace talks have stalled amid RSF gains. Earlier this week, RSF claimed to seize Babnusa, a key West Kordofan city and gateway to Darfur – which RSF fully captured last month after an 18-month el-Fasher siege. SAF disputes the claim.
The Babnusa assault builds on RSF momentum after taking el-Fasher, the army’s last Darfur holdout. RSF faces widespread atrocity accusations there, including systematic mass murder, rape, torture and ethnic cleansing of non-Arab groups. The UN Human Rights Council has launched an inquiry.
The latest fighting appears to shatter RSF’s unilateral ceasefire, announced after Quad mediation. SAF rejected the terms as RSF-favouring and accuses UAE of arming the paramilitary. Abu Dhabi denies involvement.
Siege conditions and healthcare collapse
UN OCHA warned Wednesday of “extreme hardship” in South Kordofan’s Dilling and Kadugli, where civilians endure “siege conditions”. UNICEF reported sustained West Kordofan attacks.
In North Darfur’s Tawila, thousands fleeing el-Fasher strain camps. Overcrowding fuels malnutrition and disease. UNICEF registered nearly 950 separated/unaccompanied children in Tawila and surrounding areas.
In White Nile State, child malnutrition hits “alarming” levels: over 30% underweight, 1 in 3 stunted in El Jabalain, and 13% acute malnutrition in Tendelti. Limited clean water, low vaccinations and poor feeding practices worsen the crisis.
WHO verified 198 healthcare attacks since April 2023, killing 1,700+ health workers and patients while injuring 400+. Al-Nuhud Hospital in West Kordofan is now overrun, depriving communities of vital care.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk fears new atrocities amid intensified SAF-RSF fighting.
Underfunded response amid famine fears
Despite the urgency, Sudan’s 2025 humanitarian plan stands at just 35% funded with weeks left in the year.
OCHA and partners delivered 132,000 litres of water daily last month and treated 3,000+ children for malnutrition while providing psychosocial support.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric urged donors: “We cannot stress enough – civilians must have safe passage and aid access. Step up now.”
The war has killed 40,000+ (UN estimate – likely undercount), displaced 12 million (world’s largest crisis) and pushed parts of the country into famine.
Al Jazeera’s Asmaa Mohammed reported from al-Afad camp in Northern State: families fleeing Darfur and Kordofan arrive in “dire condition” with shortages of emergency services, medicine and paediatricians.
Source: Al Jazeera
Featured photo: GZERO
Also read: Sudan crisis: Civilians besieged in Kordofan, hospitals seized
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