Sudan humanitarian truces fail amid intensifying civil war

Humanitarian truce efforts in Sudan continue to fail as fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies. The conflict, which began in April 2023, has expanded across 13 of the country’s 18 states, displacing 14 million people and causing tens of thousands of deaths.

International mediation attempts, such as the Jeddah Declaration mediated by the United States and Saudi Arabia, have struggled to maintain stability. While these initiatives occasionally provided limited humanitarian access, they frequently collapsed due to repeated violations by both factions. Regional efforts led by the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have faced similar setbacks with short-term ceasefires breaking down shortly after implementation.

The United Nations has warned that Sudan’s humanitarian system is nearing collapse. Recent escalations include a gold mine collapse in West Kordofan that killed at least 70 people and clashes along the Sudan-South Sudan border that resulted in at least 26 deaths.