Sudan war: A simple guide to what is happening

4 July 2025 Share Save Natasha Booty & Farouk Chothia BBC News Share Save

AFP

Sudan plunged into a civil war in April 2023 after a vicious struggle for power broke out between its army and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). It has led to a famine and claims of a genocide in the western Darfur region. More than 150,000 people have died in the conflict across the country, and about 12 million have fled their homes in what the United Nations has called the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Here is what you need to know.

Where is Sudan?

Sudan is in north-east Africa and is one of the largest countries on the continent, covering 1.9 million sq km (734,000 sq miles). It borders seven countries and the Red Sea. The River Nile also flows through it, making it a strategically important for foreign powers. The population of Sudan is predominantly Muslim and the country's official languages are Arabic and English. Even before the war started, Sudan was one of the poorest countries in the world - despite the fact that it is a gold-producing nation. Its 46 million people were living on an average annual income of $750 (£600) a head in 2022. The conflict has made things much worse. Last year, Sudan's finance minister said state revenues had shrunk by 80%.

What triggered the conflict?

The civil war is the latest episode in bouts of tension that followed the 2019 ousting of long-serving President Omar