Sudan Conflict 2025 has now entered its third year, and the fighting shows no signs of abating. According to a 27 June 2025 briefing by UN Assistant Secretary-General Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) continue to reject any form of diplomatic solution and are locked in a destructive path toward military victory. As a result, civilians are paying the ultimate price, with an escalating humanitarian collapse, widespread famine, and an alarming rise in war crimes.
1. “Sudan Conflict :Shifting Frontlines & Escalating Air Attacks
The frontlines of the Sudan conflict continue to shift across multiple regions, including Darfur, Kordofan, and Khartoum. UN officials warn of increasingly dangerous aerial and drone attacks launched by both SAF and RSF.
- A suspected SAF drone strike in West Kordofan on June 21 killed over 40 civilians.
- Indiscriminate airstrikes continue to hit hospitals and civilian areas.
- Cross-border clashes have erupted near the Darfur–Libya–Egypt tri-border zone, involving the Libyan National Army.
The use of long-range and high-altitude attacks has significantly expanded the geography of the conflict and increased civilian vulnerability.
2. Advanced Drone Warfare & Foreign Involvement
Both the RSF and SAF are now deploying advanced drone systems, many of them supplied by foreign backers.
- RSF forces are believed to be using Chinese-made drones for strikes in SAF-held territories.
- SAF has reportedly acquired Iranian and Turkish drones, enhancing their long-range offensive capabilities.
The increasing sophistication of drone warfare is leading to higher civilian casualties and more destructive attacks on vital infrastructure.
3. Humanitarian Collapse at Unprecedented Levels
UNICEF has described Sudan as the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis” in 2025. Over 30 million people now require urgent humanitarian assistance, with 16 million of them children.
- More than 14 million people are internally displaced, and over 13 million have fled the country.
- Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, home to nearly 500,000 people, is facing famine after aid convoys were halted.
- 70–80% of Sudan’s health facilities are non-functional.
- Massive outbreaks of cholera and other diseases are sweeping through camps and urban centers.
Children, pregnant women, and the elderly are the most vulnerable, with 1.3 million children at risk of severe acute malnutrition.
4. Famine, War Crimes & Sexual Violence
Famine has officially been declared in parts of North Darfur, particularly in Zamzam camp. In addition, the UN and independent human rights monitors have documented:
- Summary executions and arbitrary detentions by both RSF and SAF.
- Widespread use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
- Forced recruitment of children and ethnic cleansing campaigns targeting non-Arab minorities, especially the Masalit and Zaghawa communities.
From February to April 2025, the number of arbitrary civilian killings tripled in major towns under siege.
5. Regional Spillover of Sudan Conflict
UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix warned that the conflict is no longer contained within Sudan’s borders.
- RSF-aligned forces have entered the Central African Republic, where UN peacekeepers have come under fire.
- Border tensions are escalating in Chad, Libya, South Sudan, and Egypt due to massive refugee flows.
- Over 4 million people have fled Sudan since 2023.
- Regional powers, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, and Russia, are believed to be backing one side or the other, often supplying drones and military logistics.
The Sudan Conflictthreatens regional stability across the Horn of Africa and the Sahel.
6. UN Response and Stalled Ceasefire Talks
The United Nations has made multiple calls for ceasefire and humanitarian access, but neither RSF nor SAF has agreed to pause hostilities. UN envoy Ramtane Lamamra continues to advocate for peace talks, but confidence-building measures remain absent.
Meanwhile, the United States has pledged $200 million in new aid and has urged all foreign powers to halt arms deliveries. Sanctions against individuals and militias involved in war crimes are under consideration.
7. Key Developments (June–July 2025)
Recent weeks have brought further alarming developments:
- On June 27, 2025, Martha Pobee told the UN Security Council that both sides were ignoring diplomacy, and civilian casualties had surged.
- WFP and UNICEF confirmed that famine-like conditions persist in Darfur and El Fasher.
- MSF reported a 60-fold increase in hospital-related civilian deaths since March, with healthcare infrastructure nearly collapsed.
8. What Needs to Happen Now
To prevent further catastrophe in Sudan, the following measures are urgently needed:
- An immediate, monitored ceasefire between RSF and SAF.
- Full humanitarian access to conflict zones, especially Zamzam, El Fasher, and the Kordofan region.
- Prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly those involving sexual violence.
- Sanctions on those supplying weapons and drones to Sudanese factions.
- Grassroots peace efforts and a credible peace process led by African Union and UN envoys.
Without international unity and pressure, the Sudan conflict risks spreading further and becoming a generational crisis.
Conclusion
Sudan Conflict 2025 is no longer a domestic crisis—it is a regional and global emergency. Drone warfare, ethnic massacres, mass displacement, famine, and a crumbling healthcare system now define daily life in Sudan.
The UN Security Council’s latest report is a dire warning: unless both military actors and their international supporters step back from escalation, the humanitarian catastrophe will deepen through the end of 2025. Time is running out to end the war and start building peace.
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Table of Contents
- 1. Frontlines Still Shifting
- 2. Advanced Drone Warfare & Foreign Involvement
- 3. Humanitarian Catastrophe: Collapse of Services
- 4. War Crimes, Ethnic Violence & Famine
- 5. Regional Spillover & Geopolitical Stakes
- 6. UN Security Council Response & Ceasefire Deadlock
- 7. Latest Key Events (June–July 2025)
- 8. What Lies Ahead & Call to Action
- Conclusion
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