Sudan’s conflict is continuing into its seventh continuous week and fighting has propelled the nation into an all-out war. Fighting between dueling generals from the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces broke out on April 15 and has continued to escalate.
The country is in a humanitarian crisis with over 1,800 people killed and at least 1.6 million people displaced either within the country or across its borders. Many people have been fleeing to Egypt, Chad and South Sudan. Multiple ceasefires have been violated by both parties and Saudi and United States-brokered peace negotiations have been suspended. The US imposed its first sanctions related to the conflict on Thursday. The sanctions target firms associated with the conflict’s actors, including two defense firms linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and other firms controlled by RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo in the capital Khartoum. Visa restrictions have also been imposed against actors who are perpetuating the violence. Ceasefire talks were also suspended between the US and Saudi Arabia on Thursday due to the previous repeated violations of ceasefires. Heavy artillery fire was heard in cities in Khartoum state on Thursday, despite a ceasefire that was meant to run until Sunday evening.
