Sudan and South Sudan conflicts face UN condemnation over civilian atrocities

A Sudanese activist in exile, Hamad Gamal, says the war that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces is a counter‑revolutionary proxy conflict aimed at crushing the popular movement that began in 2018. He alleges foreign backing for both sides and warns that the fighting threatens any chance of a democratic transition in Sudan.

Separately, the United Nations human rights office and the UN Mission in South Sudan have released a report accusing military and political officials of supporting community‑based militias in the Greater Jonglei region. Between January and June 2020, those militias killed more than 700 people, wounded hundreds, abducted hundreds of women and children, and stole cattle worth tens of millions of dollars. The report calls for accountability, secure storage of state weapons, and the release of abducted victims.

Both cases highlight ongoing violence in the Sudan region and the UN’s push for investigations and prosecutions to protect civilians and uphold human rights.