War in Sudan shifts in favor of army

The last few months of heavy fighting between the army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have seen battlefield conditions turn in favor of the army.

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Sudan Crisis Guide

Trying to make sense of the war in Sudan? We’ll get you up to speed in just a few minutes.

Learn More

February has witnessed a number of important military and political developments on the ground in Sudan. While the conflict appears to be far from over, it is apparent the army now has the upper hand.

A quick recap for those who are new to this situation. Since April 2023, Sudan has been ravaged by war between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). These former allies ousted the country’s transitional civilian government in 2019 and have craved control of a nation that wants neither in charge ever since.

This senseless war has made Sudan ground zero for the largest hunger, displacement, and childhood education crises in the world. The capital city of Khartoum and countless towns and villages are largely destroyed. Nearly 25 million people —half the country— are hungry, with famine conditions plaguing multiple areas and healthcare services largely collapsed. One in five Sudanese have fled their homes, and the U.S. government recently recognized that genocide is being committed.

The 30,000 foot view

In recent weeks, the army has deployed fresh troops and equipment that have been building up for months, launching major offensives to push the RSF out of Greater Khartoum and break its sieges on army positions in central and south-central Sudan. The fighting has been intense and, for the most part, the army is beating back the RSF or the paramilitary force is retreating in the face of certain losses.

The below map shows approximate areas of control in Sudan as of February 25, 2025. If you’ve been tracking the war with us for some time now, then you can see just how much the RSF is faltering, especially in central and south-central Sudan.

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Map: l.r. stands for local resistance, with both of those armed groups having spent much of this war defending their territory and ethnic minority populations against the army and RSF. Click or tap to expand. (source)

Army breaks siege on El-Obeid

In December, the army slowly advanced toward Umm Ruwaba in central Sudan before taking the city in late January and expanding into the surrounding areas. Over the past several days army forces advanced on El-Obied, the capital of North Kordofan State that has been under siege by the RSF for nearly two years, before taking the city on February 23.

Militarily, the army capturing El-Obied opens a critical road between the states of North Kordofan and White Nile, leaving the army in a much better position to continue pushing west toward En-Nahud, where another army garrison is holding out under RSF siege. Humanitarian conditions in El-Obied are poor due to the lengthy RSF siege blocking critical aid from getting in. The army is reportedly restricting civilian movements in El Obied, but hopefully aid can begin reaching the city in the coming days and weeks as the army solidifies control over the surrounding areas.

If the army does manage to continue advancing west and capture En-Nahud, they will have a second gateway to strike into main RSF strongholds in the western Darfur provinces. The RSF has controlled most all of western Sudan since the early days of the war, with the exception of El Fasher and more recently parts of North Darfur.

Army seizes Bahri and threatens to encircle Khartoum proper

It now seems only a matter of time before the RSF loses its grip on Sudan’s battered and starving capital city. The army steamrolled through the rest of Bahri (Khartoum North) in mid-February, bringing relief to army units in the Kober enclave that have been under siege since the beginning of the war.

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Map by Operation Broken Silence. Click or tap to expand.

Bahri was already significantly damaged during the last five months of fighting and shelling, and even more buildings and homes were destroyed during the army advance. What is left of an economy here is more or less the black market and there are essentially no basic services, meaning many former residents who fled throughout the war likely will not be returning anytime soon.

The army is now pushing forward on multiple fronts in the Greater Khartoum area (see our map). East Nile, a northeastern suburb of Khartoum, seems to be the army’s immediate target. RSF units are already stretched thin in the area. East Nile is still relatively populated as fighting there has been very limited and many residents are unable to leave due to a lack of finances. Even a minor exchange of fire between the army and RSF here could be devastating for inhabitants as they have nowhere to flee.

The army is also making gains further south (outside of our map’s view), seemingly to encircle Khartoum and trap remaining RSF forces. Right now the RSF does not have the manpower or resources to break any sort of encirclement, especially considering how heavy the army’s presence in the area now is. Large parts of Khartoum have depopulated over the last nearly two years; however, due to urban density, whenever the army does invade, fighting will likely be brutal and block-by-block unless RSF forces surrender. When Khartoum does fall to the army, it will be a significant strategic and symbolic victory for the force.

What does all this mean for Sudan’s besieged citizenry?

This brief update does not cover all the recent frontline developments. Chaos continues to plague North Darfur as the Joint Forces —an army ally— battle the RSF. Meanwhile, the RSF has continued its brutal siege of El Fasher and nearby Zamzam Displacement Camp, where an estimated two million people face extreme violence and famine. And a thawing of relations between RSF leaders and the SPLM-N in the southern Nuba Mountains (see our first map) may lead to renewed fighting between the army and SPLM-N in South Kordofan.

The bottom line is that the Sudanese people continue to bear the brunt of this war and famine. The frontlines shifting in favor of the army likely won’t see much improvement in living conditions, although not being under the terror of RSF rule is being broadly welcomed in communities the army is capturing. To make matters worse, the recent chaos the Trump Administration has inflicted on USAID —one of the largest providers of lifesaving food relief in Sudan— has resulted in the reported closure of over 70% of Sudanese-run emergency food kitchens, threatening to push more areas of the country into full-blown famine.

Still, the army are neither angels nor capable of providing anything close to good governance. Army soldiers and their militia allies have committed reprisal killings along ethnic lines as they advance into new areas, and the RSF tends to rampage on defenseless communities in the wake of battlefield losses. Humanitarian aid is still being blocked in large parts of the country, including to some areas under army control. Regardless of whether the army or RSF have the momentum on the battlefield, both sides are still waging a war on the Sudanese people.

Operation Broken Silence is dedicated to Sudanese communities, cultivating resilience and driving meaningful change through crowdfunded programs. Our Sudanese partners are overwhelmed with needs as war and hunger spread. By joining Miles For Sudan or giving below, you will help them serve the most vulnerable in this time of tremendous need.

$1,000 - Fully funds one classroom at Endure Primary School in Yida Refugee Camp for half a semester.

$500 - Delivers food to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled to South Sudan.

$250 - Provides a daily breakfast to 10 children for an entire month in Adré refugee camp, where many Darfuri genocide survivors now live.

$100 - Supports the monthly work of a sexual assault counselor in Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, Sudan.

$50 - Helps bring school supplies to students in Yida Refugee Camp.

Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900. You can also donate stock or crypto.

Operation Broken Silence a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Our EIN is 80-0671198.

Shareables

Short statements you can share online and text to others. Simply copy and paste.

• Share Our Posts: Instagram | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Reddit | LinkedIn

• The last few months of heavy fighting in Sudan have seen battlefield conditions turn in favor of the army. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/war-in-sudan-shifts-in-favor-of-army

• Since April 2023, Sudan has been ravaged by war between the army and Rapid Support Forces. The former allies ousted Sudan's transitional civilian government in 2019 and have been fighting for control of a nation that wants neither in charge ever since. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/war-in-sudan-shifts-in-favor-of-army

• In recent weeks, the army has deployed fresh troops and equipment that have been building up for months, launching major offensives to push the RSF out of Greater Khartoum and break its sieges on army positions in central and south-central Sudan. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/war-in-sudan-shifts-in-favor-of-army

• The army steamrolled through the rest of Bahri (Khartoum North) in mid-February, bringing relief to army units in the Kober enclave that have been under siege since the beginning of the war. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/war-in-sudan-shifts-in-favor-of-army

• Operation Broken Silence is dedicated to Sudanese communities, cultivating resilience and driving meaningful change through crowdfunded programs. Will you join us? https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/war-in-sudan-shifts-in-favor-of-army

Chaos inflicted on USAID intensifies famine in Sudan

USAID, one of the leading international development agencies, has been vital in combating Sudan’s humanitarian crisis. Now turmoil in Washington threatens its lifesaving work.

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When explosions and gunfire erupted in Greater Khartoum on April 15, 2023, Sahar knew she had to flee. “Most of the fighting at first was around government buildings and the airport,” Sahar says. “We could hear it and see the smoke a ways off and decided we had to leave before it was too late.”

A few hours later Sahar and other members of her extended family were navigating their way through military checkpoints. Had they waited any longer they likely would not have escaped. The war was spreading, fast. Sahar and many others fleeing the capital area headed northeast toward Atbara and Port Sudan. Within a matter of days, it was clear that the unfolding crisis in Sudan would be like few others in modern history. Humanitarian workers were targeted, hospitals bombed, and displacement soared. Refugees arriving in eastern Chad from Sudan’s western Darfur region spoke of barely escaping mass ethnic killing.

Today, Sahar has no idea when she will be able to return home. “All Sudanese are against this war,” she says through tears. “We want peace. We want to live or lives. I want to go home. We don’t want this.”

Sudan Crisis Guide

Trying to make sense of the war in Sudan? We’ll get you up to speed in just a few minutes.

Learn More

The roots of this crisis and the American response

Sahar may have little to return to. Today, Khartoum lies in ruins, ravaged by war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—former allies who ousted Sudan’s transitional civilian government in 2019 and are now fighting for control of a nation that wants neither in charge.

Sudan is now home to the largest hunger, displacement, and childhood education crises in the world. Nearly 25 million people —half the country— are hungry, with famine already declared in multiple areas. One in five Sudanese has fled their home. The suffering is staggering, and the U.S. government recently recognized that genocide is being committed.

As Sahar was fleeing for her life almost two years ago, officials at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Washington D.C. were swinging into action. Agency staff coordinated with humanitarian partners, stayed in contact with local Sudanese staff, and deployed an elite Disaster Assistance Response Team to assess needs and direct incoming aid to where it was most needed.

Within weeks it was clear the crisis in Sudan was among the gravest USAID has faced in its 60+ year history. Nearly everything in Sudan has been weaponized by the army and RSF as they burn the country to the ground. Both warring sides have blocked aid and targeted humanitarian workers, and the RSF is using rape as a weapon of war on a massive scale.

Over the past 21 months, USAID and State Department staff have worked around the clock to overcome endless obstacles and pry open aid routes. Progress has been painfully slow, but aid convoys were finally beginning to reach some of the hardest-hit areas with American help. While most of the world abandoned Sudan at the outset of the war, many of the Sudanese people have found a friend in the United States. Last year, Americans provided nearly 50% of all humanitarian aid to Sudan, much of it delivered in sacks and boxes stamped with the USAID logo and the warm words: From the American People.

Mayhem in Washington now threatening lifesaving work in Sudan

On January 20, 2025, the Trump Administration said it was placing a freeze on nearly all foreign aid. Chaos quickly ensued across USAID as there was little guidance on what exactly was and wasn't allowed. Was this just a temporary pause so programs could be reviewed, or something else?

Confusion quickly morphed into mayhem. As has been widely reported, a team from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) breached USAID’s secure systems without the security clearances to do so. USAID security officials who intervened to protect classified and sensitive information were placed on leave, and that was after DOGE threatened to call the US Marshalls. Staff and contractors struggled to interpret conflicting directives—the freeze being enforced and another allowing lifesaving operations to continue with a waiver, though few partners knew how to obtain one.

Meanwhile, DOGE head Elon Musk declared USAID would be shut down, posting, “We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper. Could gone to some great parties. Did that instead.” Days later, administration officials issued contradictory statements—some claiming USAID would close, others saying it would move under the State Department. Thousands of dedicated staff have already been fired or placed on forced leave.

This chaos has crippled USAID’s critical operations in Sudan. According to one former division head, the USAID staffer overseeing the humanitarian response in Sudan has been locked out of her email and key systems. But it’s the stories emerging from USAID’s mostly frozen work on the ground that range from depressing to horrifying. From ProPublica:

On Friday morning, the staffers at a half dozen U.S.-funded medical facilities in Sudan who care for severely malnourished children had a choice to make: Defy President Donald Trump’s order to immediately stop their operations or let up to 100 babies and toddlers die. They chose the children. In spite of the order, they will keep their facilities open for as long as they can, according to three people with direct knowledge of the situation. The people requested anonymity for fear that the administration might target their group for reprisals. Trump’s order also meant they would stop receiving new, previously approved funds to cover salaries, IV bags and other supplies. They said it’s a matter of days, not weeks, before they run out.

Food programs supported by USAID that have reached millions of hungry people are now shuttering. Hundreds of Sudanese-run community kitchens operating in areas too dangerous for internationals to work have already closed. In the past week alone, a shocking two-thirds of emergency kitchens in Khartoum have shut their doors. From the Washington Post:

A humanitarian worker in Sudan, who like others in this story spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation against their employer, said their organization got a stop-work order for grants covering hundreds of millions of dollars. “It means that over 8 million people in extreme levels of hunger could die of starvation,” said the aid worker. “What’s next? What do we do?”…

USAID had also provided security funds to the Emergency Response Rooms, cells of pro-democracy demonstrators that have worked to alleviate the suffering of the civil war. More than 60 of their volunteers have been killed since the conflict erupted nearly two years ago, and the young people moving food and medicine across the front lines are often arrested and abused by combatants on both sides, who suspect them of being spies. One volunteer is being hunted by a militia; another volunteer was recently tortured to try to reveal his whereabouts, according to Kuka. Normally, he said, USAID funding could help him escape; now they are trying to move him between safe houses as the militias advance. “We are saying our goodbyes,” he messaged, followed by a broken-heart emoji.

An internal report prepared by aid groups providing health services in Sudan and shared with The Post said more than half of the 10 million people targeted to receive health care probably would lose access because of the cuts. One medical group, which had treated more than 19,000 civilians, mostly women, in the past two months in Darfur, said it could no longer offer services without alternative funding. “There was no transition, just an abrupt stop,” an employee said.

An outsized impact for a small amount of money

USAID has long enjoyed strong bipartisan support in Washington. The agency makes up less than 1% of the entire federal budget —barely any money in the grand scheme of things— and has received high praise worldwide for helping to stabilize volatile areas and support communities as they climb out of poverty. Exactly what the American public thinks about foreign aid can be a bit difficult to ascertain. According to Pew Research, “For many years, Americans have had, at best, mixed views about the effectiveness and desirability of foreign assistance.”

In recent years, USAID’s role in national security has also become much clearer. Its success in countering Russian and Chinese influence through development and humanitarian work has drawn the ire of both countries, and the agency plays a key role in preventing global health threats that emerge abroad from reaching the United States. Given USAID’s outsized global impact as such a tiny amount of the federal budget and the respect it brings to the United States abroad, it’s fair to say that the development agency is a worthwhile investment, even if some reforms and tweaks would be beneficial.

It’s also important to know that only Congress has the legal authority to close USAID. This has caused more confusion about the agency’s future as DOGE’s efforts do not appear to have legal legitimacy. A lawsuit was recently filed concerning this issue and it appears the courts will have a role in deciding USAID’s future.

What happens now?

Operation Broken Silence does not receive USAID funding; we rely entirely on individuals, families, and private institutions. However, like many small nonprofits operating in countries where USAID has a presence, we benefit indirectly from the broader humanitarian and economic stability the agency can help create. Humanitarian work is incredibly complex and requires a network of organizations working alongside local heroes to tackle difficult challenges. No single group can do it all; but, when a powerhouse like USAID is suddenly removed from the situation, everyone suffers.

Sudan’s situation has been dire for months, but it can still get much, much worse. We expect to witness a surge in deaths from starvation, preventable diseases, and the further collapse of healthcare services in the coming weeks if USAID’s critical work in Sudan does not fully resume. The suffering of the Sudanese people is already unbearable. Abandoning them now would be unconscionable. We urge you to stand with them in this dark hour.

Operation Broken Silence is dedicated to Sudanese communities, cultivating resilience and driving meaningful change through crowdfunded programs. Our Sudanese partners are overwhelmed with needs as war and hunger spread. By joining Miles For Sudan or giving below, you will help them serve the most vulnerable in this time of tremendous need.

$1,000 - Fully funds one classroom at Endure Primary School in Yida Refugee Camp for half a semester.

$500 - Delivers food to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled to South Sudan.

$250 - Provides a daily breakfast to 10 children for an entire month in Adré refugee camp, where many Darfuri genocide survivors now live.

$100 - Supports the monthly work of a sexual assault counselor in Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, Sudan.

$50 - Helps bring school supplies Yida to students in Yida Refugee Camp.

Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900. You can also donate stock or crypto.

Operation Broken Silence a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Our EIN is 80-0671198.

Shareables

Short statements you can share online and text to others. Simply copy and paste.

• Share Our Posts: Instagram | Facebook | Threads | Bluesky | Reddit | LinkedIn

• USAID, one of the leading international development agencies, has been vital in combating Sudan’s humanitarian crisis. Now turmoil in Washington threatens its lifesaving work. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/chaos-inflicted-on-usaid-intensifies-famine-in-sudan

• Food programs supported by USAID that have reached millions of hungry people are now shuttering. Hundreds of Sudanese-run community kitchens operating in areas too dangerous for internationals to work have already closed. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/chaos-inflicted-on-usaid-intensifies-famine-in-sudan

• USAID has long enjoyed strong bipartisan support in Washington. The agency makes up less than 1% of the entire federal budget, barely any money in the grand scheme of things. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/chaos-inflicted-on-usaid-intensifies-famine-in-sudan

• Operation Broken Silence is dedicated to Sudanese communities, cultivating resilience and driving meaningful change through crowdfunded programs. Will you join us? https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/chaos-inflicted-on-usaid-intensifies-famine-in-sudan

Miles For Sudan - 4 ways to join

The global event for runners, walkers, and cyclists helping to save and change lives in Sudan continues in 2025. These are the best ways to join.

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Our brave Sudanese partners are overwhelmed as war and famine continue spreading. We’re doing everything we can to help, but it’s nowhere near enough to meet the massive needs they face. 2025 needs to a big year of action for them. Here are four ways you can bring Miles For Sudan to your community.

Sign yourself up

Select your workout type, or to fundraise only, and how much you want to raise! Then all you have to do is share your fundraising page online at the end of each workout.

If you’ve never fundraised before, we have a suite of easy-to-use tools and resources to get you started. There are also milestone rewards:

• All participants who raise $250+ get a suite of virtual cooking and cocktail demos

• U.S. participants who raise $500+ get a free shirt

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Become a team captain

One of the best ways to multiply your impact is to start a Miles For Sudan team and ask friends and family to register underneath it.

Each member gets their own fundraising page just like you do, and the funds you raise will build up collectively on your team page. Simply select Create a team during the sign up process to get started!

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Partner with us

Want to get your school, business, place of worship, or online community involved? After you get permission, select the Create a team option when registering and name it after the place you are a part of. Your people can then register under your team or donate directly to our Sudanese partners through your page!

You can also host an in-person event such as a 5K run and more as part of Miles For Sudan! Please connect with our team if you want to pursue this option.

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Become a sponsor

Finally, you can show your public support for Sudanese heroes by completing our sponsor form and making a lump sum donation. You’ll also get various forms of promotion depending on the sponsorship level you choose.

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These are dark times in Sudan, but that’s all the more reason to make this a year of action. A long road and a lot of work lies ahead. Together, we can help Sudanese heroes continue saving and changing lives for the better. I hope you will join me in making Miles of Sudan a part of your story this year.

Onward,

Mark C. Hackett

Executive Director

obsilence.org

Understanding the U.S. State Department’s genocide determination in Sudan

In another grim turn of events, the U.S. State Department has declared that certain atrocities in Sudan meet the threshold of the crime of genocide. We break down what this means, dispel common misconceptions, and examine what happens next.

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On January 7, 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement saying that, based on available information, “members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan.”

A quick recap for those who are new to this situation. Sudan is the world’s largest human rights and humanitarian catastrophes. Since April 2023, a war for power between the army and a powerful militia called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has unleashed a wave of violence so extreme that some regions of the country are becoming uninhabitable. Mass atrocities, gross human rights violations, and manmade famine have forcibly displaced more than 15 million people.

Khartoum is mostly destroyed, as are countless towns and villages the war has blasted through. Famine is spreading and over half the country is in dire need of humanitarian assistance. The death toll is unknown. Some estimates earlier this year were already surging past 150,000 Sudanese killed.

It has been clear from the outset that this war is much more than a power struggle between the army and RSF. It is also a war on the Sudanese people. Both sides have committed large-scale war crimes, with the RSF targeting entire minority ethnic groups for annihilation. Discerning why is critical to understanding the State Department’s genocide determination.

The Rapid Support Forces, briefly explained

The RSF emerged from the 2000s Darfur genocide. The then Bashir regime had long oppressed minority ethnic African tribes in this western region and by the early 2000s was facing an armed uprising. Sudan’s army was failing to put down the rebellion, so the regime began to recruit large numbers of militiamen from Darfur’s Arab tribes. These militias were called janjaweed, which loosely means devil on horseback. The janjaweed proved to be a ruthless killing machine against African tribes such as the Zaghawa, Fur, and Masalit.

In 2013, the regime rebranded the janjaweed as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and began outfitting the paramilitaries with better equipment. Horses were traded in for modified SUVs with mounted machine guns. AK47s were supplemented with artillery, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft guns, and drones. The RSF has grown in size, strength, and wealth ever since, both with direct support from Khartoum and by using stolen land and expanding territorial reach to mine gold and more.

Map by Operation Broken Silence

A large portion of the RSF adheres to an extremely racist, Arab-supremacist ideology. The belief system holds that Darfur’s historic ethnic African minorities must be cleansed from the region and all other Sudanese Arabs are inferior. As a result and as the RSF has spread into other parts of Sudan during this war, they have executed captured army soldiers and civilians while raping and pillaging countless communities they deem ethnically inferior or disloyal.

For months, traumatized refugees streaming out of Sudan —especially from the Darfur provinces— have shared stories of RSF fighters systematically murdering men, boys, and male infants belonging to ethnic African minorities. The paramilitaries have deliberately raped and assaulted women and girls from these same ethnic groups on a shocking scale, as well as blocked humanitarian aid to those unable to flee. One particularly brutal example took place from April to June of 2023, when RSF fighters slaughtered ethnically African Masalit civilians in El Geneina and the surrounding areas in West Darfur. As the United Nations noted roughly a year ago:

“RSF and allied militia deliberately targeted civilian neighbourhoods, IDP gathering sites, and IDP camps, schools, mosques, and hospitals, while looting homes, INGOs and UN compounds. Furthermore, they deliberately rendered useless water pumps that were vital for the survival of the community. RSF and allied militia deliberately targeted Masalit community…”

Understanding genocide for what it is

The term genocide is often misunderstood and misused. Being a globally recognized phenomenon that can be prosecuted in international and domestic courts, genocide must be understand as a legal term that requires a very high threshold of evidence.

Genocide is an internationally-recognized crime where acts are committed with the intent to destroy —in whole or in part— a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. These acts fall into five categories:

1. Killing members of the group

2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group

3. Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part

4. Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group

5. Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group

The phrase with the intent to destroy means it is not enough to point to mass killing as proof of genocide. Determinations from reputable institutions —such as the State Department— are rare for this reason: there must be hard evidence of the perpetrators’ intent to destroy, in whole or in part, one of the listed types of groups through at least one of the above actions.

Hard evidence could include signed military orders, kill lists being distributed, or documentation of armed mobilization. Specific language by the perpetrators directing troops to ethnically “cleanse” an area, hate speech by those carrying out the killings, or destroying infrastructure that makes life possible can play a role in proving intent as well. These examples are not exhaustive. Most perpetrators try to hide and cover up their intent and crimes, making investigations more difficult. As such, proving genocidal intent can be very difficult.

Left: RSF fighters battle army and anti-RSF forces in North Darfur. Right: Residents of the Abu Zirga area of North Darfur prepare to bury more than 50 of their friends and relatives following a horrific massacre perpetrated by the RSF in mid-December.

This is what makes the State Department’s genocide determination in Sudan a serious development. There are no signs this designation was made lightly. It strongly suggests that the U.S. government has hard evidence of both RSF intent and acts of genocide committed. There has been a lot of smoke for months suggesting a genocide. Now Secretary of State Blinken is more or less saying they’ve found the fire:

“The RSF and RSF-aligned militias have continued to direct attacks against civilians.  The RSF and allied militias have systematically murdered men and boys—even infants—on an ethnic basis, and deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence.  Those same militias have targeted fleeing civilians, murdering innocent people escaping conflict, and prevented remaining civilians from accessing lifesaving supplies.  Based on this information, I have now concluded that members of the RSF and allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan.”

What happens now?

There tends to be a misguided belief in the general public that using the word genocide will immediately trigger rapid policy changes and a massive global response. History suggests this is rarely the case anywhere in the world, especially in Sudan. The international community has struggled to beef up its response these past 20 months and there’s no evidence the State Department’s genocide determination will change that. A lack of accountability for war criminals in the past is a major driver of RSF crimes today. This determination lays real groundwork for world leaders to act more decisively, but they still must choose to do so.

It is unknown what action, if any, the incoming Trump administration will take with regards to Sudan. Continuing the Biden administration’s approach these past several months should be the bare minimum. Efforts are underway to communicate this need; but, ultimately, Trump’s foreign policy officials will have to decide to make the plight of the Sudanese people a priority day in and day out. Time will tell if they have the political will to do so.

For globally-minded citizens, arguing over what constitutes a genocide or using this determination to draw attention to other international crises should be avoided. Such language runs the high risk of making people feel involved and helpful when, in reality, all that’s being done is removing needed attention from victims and survivors for mere intellectual debate. As one of our Sudanese friends said years ago, “Call it a genocide or not, the militia is still going to kill my family.” And what is happening in Sudan is far too serious to be used as a prop. This moment clarifies the terror the Sudanese people are facing. The focus should remain on them.

As for us, we must continue providing direct support to Sudanese aid workers, healthcare professionals, and teachers and advocating for world leaders to become more engaged in Sudan. Both must be done simultaneously. Please join us to that end.

We’re a nonprofit organization with over a decade of experience working alongside Sudanese heroes. Together we are making the story of Sudan known and supporting survivors as they fight to build a renewed Sudan. Our Sudanese partners are overwhelmed with needs as the war spreads and hunger deepens. By joining Miles For Sudan or giving below, you will help them serve the most vulnerable in this time of tremendous need.

$1,000 - Fully funds one classroom at Endure Primary School in Yida Refugee Camp for half a semester.

$500 - Delivers food to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled to South Sudan.

$250 - Provides a daily breakfast to 10 children for an entire month in Adré refugee camp, where many Darfuri genocide survivors now live.

$100 - Supports the monthly work of a sexual assault counselor in Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, Sudan.

$50 - Helps bring school supplies Yida to students in Yida Refugee Camp.

Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900. You can also donate stock or crypto.

Operation Broken Silence a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Our EIN is 80-0671198.

Shareables

Short statements you can share online and with others. Simply copy and paste.

• Share Our Posts: Instagram | Facebook | Threads | LinkedIn | Reddit

• In another grim turn of events, the U.S. State Department has declared that certain atrocities in Sudan meet the threshold of the crime of genocide. We break down what this means, dispel common misconceptions, and examine what happens next. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/understanding-the-us-state-departments-genocide-determination-in-sudan

• On January 7, 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement saying that, based on available information, members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias “have committed genocide in Sudan.” https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/understanding-the-us-state-departments-genocide-determination-in-sudan

• Since April 2023, a war for power between Sudan’s national army and a powerful militia called the Rapid Support Forces has unleashed a wave of extreme violence. Now the State Department says genocide has been committed. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/understanding-the-us-state-departments-genocide-determination-in-sudan

Letter to Congress and the Trump Administration regarding ICC sanctions

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Operation Broken Silence is joining 75 organizations in expressing grave concerns and to unequivocally oppose the use of the sanctions authority of the United States to cripple the International Criminal Court (ICC), an independent judicial institution dedicated to combating impunity for the gravest crimes known to humanity.

What does this mean?

Recent reports suggest the new Congress will include sanctions against the ICC in its first legislative action, the House Rules Package. The future of that legislation is uncertain, but the incoming Trump Administration has also given indications of sanctions through the threat of Executive Orders.

The ICC performs a critical role by investigating the worst international crimes and those accused of committing them. It does so in a manner that protects the due process rights of the accused, the sovereignty of states —including the United States— and the rights of victims. Supporting the work of the Court is in the interest of the United States, while sanctioning it undermines core aspects of American foreign policy.

Known as the world’s “court of last resort,” the ICC has already been recognized as playing a positive role in previous bipartisan support for investigations into war crimes allegedly perpetrated by Russian officials in Ukraine, attempts to bring justice for victims of human rights violations in Myanmar, and as a pathway to accountability for perpetrators of atrocities in Sudan.

Sudan is currently home to the world’s largest human rights and humanitarian catastrophe. Since April 2023, extreme violence between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has all but destroyed the country. Mass atrocities, gross human rights violations, and manmade famine have forcibly displaced more than 15 million people. There is mounting evidence that the RSF has committed crimes that meet the high legal threshold of genocide. Over half the country is in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, with a handful of areas having descended into full-blown famine months ago.

The United Nations Security Council referred the situation in Darfur, Sudan to the ICC in March 2005. The Court exercises jurisdiction over such crimes committed in western Sudan since July 1, 2002. As we have previously noted, the ICC’s investigations in Sudan not only remain ongoing, but stands to benefit from closer cooperation with the U.S. government. The State Department’s recent genocide determination suggests the U.S. government has hard evidence of atrocity crimes that could greatly assist the Court.

U.S. sanctions tools designed to penalize gross violators of human rights should not be used to contribute to their continued impunity. Sanctions send a signal that could embolden authoritarian regimes and others with reason to fear accountability who seek to evade justice. It is essential that the United States answer any allegation of wrongdoing in a manner that does not betray the cause of global justice, abandon international cooperation, or compromise support for human dignity and rights.

Get Involved

We’re a nonprofit organization with over a decade of experience working alongside Sudanese heroes. Together we are making the story of Sudan known and supporting survivors as they build a renewed Sudan from the ground up. And we need your help.

Our Sudanese partners are overwhelmed with needs as the war spreads and hunger deepens. Your generosity will help them serve the most vulnerable in this time of tremendous need.

Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.

Join Miles For Sudan | Donate Stock or Crypto

Operation Broken Silence a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Our EIN is 80-0671198.

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• Operation Broken Silence is joining 75 organizations in expressing grave concerns and to unequivocally oppose the use of the sanctions authority of the United States to cripple the International Criminal Court (ICC). https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/letter-to-congress-and-the-trump-administration-regarding-icc-sanctions

• Reports suggest the new Congress will include sanctions against the ICC in its first legislative action. The incoming Trump Administration has also given indications of sanctions through the threat of Executive Orders. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/letter-to-congress-and-the-trump-administration-regarding-icc-sanctions

• U.S. sanctions tools designed to penalize gross violators of human rights should not be used to contribute to their continued impunity. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/letter-to-congress-and-the-trump-administration-regarding-icc-sanctions

Reflecting on 2024 and looking ahead

Friends and supporters,

There is much to consider as another year comes to a close; but, first, I want to express my gratitude and pass along a warm thank you from our Sudanese partners. Thank you for standing with us through another difficult year. Here are just a few highlights:

Childhood Education in Yida Refugee Camp. Attendance at the Endure Primary and Renewal Secondary Schools in Yida Refugee Camp climbed to 838 students by year’s end. 68 primary students and 72 secondary students recently took their national exams, with results expected in late January. Another 200 Nuba students from other schools in Yida received testing prep support from our schools as well.

Healthcare and food relief in Adré refugee camps. Many survivors of war crimes in Darfur have fled into the border town of Adré in eastern Chad. With the help of a small, but growing group of generous donors, you helped fund local Darfuri healthcare workers who are running a daily children’s feeding program that provides breakfast to over 600 children and a medical clinic serving over 150 of the most vulnerable people every day.

Miles For Sudan. 58 of you have already signed up for our global campaign that helps runners, walkers, and cyclists support Sudanese heroes who are saving and changing lives. And we couldn’t have launched Miles For Sudan without a talented group of people here in Memphis either, many of whom volunteered their time and resources to make it happen!

American advocacy. We signed a number of organizational and expert letters and advocated for better U.S. policy toward Sudan. This included, but is not limited to: a letter to the Justice Department regarding the U.S. government supporting the International Criminal Court’s investigation in Sudan, a letter to President Joe Biden urging his administration to take action on the unfolding genocide emergency in El Fasher, and a letter to the presumptive 72nd Secretary of State Marco Rubio to make Sudan a priority in the next administration. We also provided requested guidance to small groups of new grassroots activists for their meetings with Congressional offices, as well as advocated in our own private communication with Congressional staffers. American policy improved throughout the year, in part because of efforts like these.

This is just a snapshot of what you helped us accomplish in 2024. Thank you; none of this would have been possible without your engagement!

The challenges we faced

While there is much to celebrate, 2024 was still a very difficult year. The war and famine imposed a number of security and resource challenges for all of our Sudanese partners. Even in areas not impacted directly by violence, prices on everything from school supplies to food to medicines have skyrocketed. Sudan’s war economy is surging across borders as needs soar. Many of the Sudanese heroes we support saw more suffering this year than ever before. It’s a heavy burden not being able to help every time they see a need.

The fundraising hurdles we’ve faced since 2020 continued easing slowly throughout the year. Overblown fears of a major economic recession in the United States again failed to come to fruition as inflation receded, leading to a trickle of new supporters. Sadly, many journalists remained disproportionately focused on the Israel/Gaza crisis to the detriment of the Sudanese people, which played a key role in preventing many potential donors from finding Sudan-related causes.

Similar to our Sudanese partners, we faced these challenges head on as best we could. Our delivering news and basic analysis helped bring new faces into our movement, including more supporters who live outside of the United States than ever before. Membership in The Renewal monthly giving family grew slightly, as did the number of supporters who started a fundraising page for the first time.

Looking ahead to 2025

Sudan ends the year on the brink of becoming a failed state. Armed conflict is intensifying as the army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) target civilians, the former out of paranoia at the mere perception of disloyalty and the latter along ethnic lines. Famine is far from over. And it’s unclear what action, if any, the incoming Trump administration will take with regard to the crisis in Sudan. Making specific predictions about what lies ahead seems unwise, but here is what you can expect from us in 2025:

1. A new mission statement. Much has changed in Sudan and how we go about our work since this was last updated in 2017. Our new mission statement will better indicate who we are and what we do, while better reflecting our small size as a nonprofit.

2. More news and analysis. 2024 once again showed us that when people become aware of the tragedy unfolding in Sudan, they respond with tangible action. New supporters who showed up on our doorstep throughout the year remarked that they found us because we are providing more and better information on Sudan than major media outlets. We will continue bringing you the latest developments to keep you informed and so you can help others get involved.

3. Emphasizing what is good and effective. We’ll remain laser-focused on bringing more funding to bear for our Sudanese partners, as well as highlighting the best ways you can be a part of that. I encourage you to sign up for our email list if you haven’t already. This is the best way to make sure you are always in the loop.

Make Your Last Gift of 2024

While this year has brought unprecedented suffering, we've also witnessed the incredible resilience and compassion of the Sudanese heroes we partner with. We invite you to make one last gift in 2024 to Sudanese teachers, aid workers, and healthcare professionals.

Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.

If you aren’t in a position to give, we encourage you to join Miles For Sudan.

Operation Broken Silence a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Our EIN is 80-0671198.

Thank you again for standing with our friends in Sudan this year. A long road and a lot of work lies ahead; but, together, we can help Sudanese heroes continue to change lives for the better. We all wish you a joyous and healthy New Year.

Onward,

Mark C. Hackett

Executive Director

obsilence.org