Sudan: The United States Must Do More to Stop Violence in Sudan as External Actors Prolong Fighting

WASHINGTON-As fighting continues in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Freedom House interim president Nicole Bibbins Sedaca issued the following statement:

"The relentless conflict in Sudan has resulted in unimaginable suffering, with more than 12 million peopledisplaced and a conservative estimate of more than 15,000 lives lost. Women and girls continue to face horrific acts of violence, while famine grips regions like Darfur, threatening millions more. The recent siege and assault on El Fasher exemplify the urgent need for intervention. Humanitarian access must be prioritized, and all belligerents should immediately allow the delivery of aid to the nearly 25 million peoplein desperate need.

"While the United States has previously engagedon these critical issues, it must accelerate efforts to immediately end all hostilities. To achieve peace, the Biden administration should more clearly and regularly acknowledge the influence of external actors-particularly the governments of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates-that continue to exacerbate the conflict. These administrations not only influence the dynamics on the ground but also provide critical support to the warring factions, thereby prolonging the suffering of the Sudanese people during this period of devastating violence. By turning a blind eye toward their involvement, the United States risks failing to address the root causes of this crisis and undermining efforts to hold all responsible parties accountable.

"We call on the US government to exert more pressure on regional and external actors to cease their involvement and support for the conflict. The United States should introduce a stricter sanctions regime on belligerents and external spoilers, implement an arms embargo, and work with the African Union (AU) toward an immediate end to hostilities. Only then can we hope to create an environment conducive to meaningful negotiations and a sustainable peace in Sudan that protects the human rights of all people."

Background:

On October 25, 2021, the SAF, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, headed by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo(Hemedti), took control of Sudan's government in a military coup, derailing the fragile transition to democracy. In response, the AU suspended Sudan's membership, and the United States and the World Bank halted aid to the country. The following month, al-Burhan agreed to restart a transition to civilian rule, with elections slated for July 2023.

Military and civilian leaders met in January 2023 to negotiate the implementation of transitional justice and security reforms, including the integration of the RSF into the regular SAF military structure. That April, however, tensions between the SAF and the RSF over the integration escalated to dangerous levels, and on April 15, 2023, explosions and gunfire in Khartoum marked the onset of war. The conflict has led to catastrophic human rights abuses, paralyzed the state apparatus, and threatened the fabric of Sudanese society.

In August 2024, peace talks in Geneva between the belligerents collapsed, prolonging a dire humanitarian crisis and paving the way for further human rights violations, including ethnically motivated atrocities, sexual and gender-based violence, and an unprecedented backlash against human rights advocates and civic activists.

Sudan is rated Not Freein Freedom in the World 2024 and Not Freein Freedom on the Net 2023.

To schedule an interview with Freedom House experts, please contact Maryam Iftikhar at [email protected].

Freedom House is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to create a world where all are free. We inform the world about threats to freedom, mobilize global action, and support democracy's defenders.