Sudan war: Could involved foreign powers stop the war there? DW 10/31/2025

"Without external backing, neither side in Sudan would have been able to prolong the war. The conflict has seen the country become the site of one of the world's worst humanitarin disasters and, more recently, mass killings and atrocities against Sudanese civilians in Darfur's regional capital el-Fasher. The war first broke out in April 2023 when the local militia, the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, and the Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF, fell out over the integration of the paramilitary RSF into the regular army."

"Given the ongoing fighting in Darfur, the death toll can only be estimated, but aid organizations and the UN put it at more than 140,000. Around half of Sudan's 51 million population depends on humanitarian aid. Famine and disease is widespread, and much of the country's infrastructure and agricultural land has been damaged. Observers say Sudan's internationally recognized government under General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, who also heads the SAF, is supported by Egypt, Turkey, Russia and Iran."

"The Egyptians and Saudis deny supporting any Sudanese groups with weapons. The RSF is allegedly supported by the UAE, although the Emiratis deny this. "The Rapid Support Forces have had a number of suppliers for weapons and fuel during the war, but a central provider remains the United Arab Emirates," Hager Ali, a researcher at the think tank, the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) told DW."

Fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) began in April 2023 over integration of the RSF into the regular army. External backers enabled both sides to prolong the conflict. Aid agencies and the UN estimate more than 140,000 deaths, with around half of Sudan’s 51 million people dependent on humanitarian assistance. Famine, disease, damaged infrastructure, and ruined agricultural land are widespread. The internationally recognized government under General Abdel‑Fattah Burhan is reported to receive support from Egypt, Turkey, Russia, and Iran. The RSF is allegedly backed by the UAE, which denies the claim while pledging humanitarian aid.

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