It's likely you'll have seen the headlines about conflict playing out in Sudan right now, especially since the British government announced it is helping nationals to evacuate the country by putting on special flights.
But what is happening in Sudan right now, what is behind the fighting? And what can you do to help?
What is happening in Sudan right now?
Hundreds of lives have been claimed and thousands are injured following conflict erupting in Sudan, prompting the UK government to evacuate British citizens currently in the country. The conflict is playing out between the Sudanese army (headed by General Abdel Fattah al Burhan) and paramilitary forces.
The feud is a long-running one, over who ought to be in power, as reported by Sky News. Currently, General Burhan is the country's de facto president, following a military coup in October 2021, which saw both the Sudanese army and paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces (RSF), team up to overthrow the previous authoritarian leader, Omar al-Bashir, who ruled for some thirty years.
However, there have since been disputes over how to run Sudan and who is in charge of key locations, such as airports, air bases and the presidential palace. The RSF is led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, more commonly known as Hemedti (the deputy head of Sudan's ruling Sovereign Council).
One key sticking point between the two sides is reportedly a disagreement concerning when – and how – the RSF will integrate into the military. The army have proposed the transition ought to happen within two years, however the RSF are pushing for a decade. An agreement was due to be reached by 1 April.
Speaking publicly, General Burdan said he was willing to call a truce and negotiate, "If negotiations will restore the country and are fair then it's possible." However, fighting has not ceased.
Speaking on the violence, Amnesty International said, "Civilians continue to suffer due to the country's authorities failure to provide security, and their inability to deliver justice and accountability for war crimes and other violations 20 years after the Darfur conflict began."
How can I help Sudan right now?
Donate to Save The Children
Charitable organisation Save The Children, who have had a presence in Sudan since the 1980s, have launched an emergency appeal for funding, explaining that Sudan is currently "facing its worst ever humanitarian crisis with conflict, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and economic degradation resulting in 15.8 million people (about a third of the population, and more than half of them children) needing humanitarian support".
To support their efforts in providing quality health care for under-fives and pregnant women, as well as providing psychological support, helping reunited separated families and more. Donate here
Sign a petition
You can sign the Change.org petition demanding that the United Nations investigate the 3rd of June human rights violations in Sudan by the Military. Sign here
Support Islamic Relief
Islamic Relief supports 26 different health centres across Sudan, as well as carrying out important work in the hopes of eradicating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and assisting refugees from South Sudan. Donate here
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
