Sudan’s ongoing conflict, which erupted in mid-April 2023, has escalated into a humanitarian catastrophe, with starvation emerging as a deliberate weapon of war and banned chemical weapons exacerbating civilian suffering. Over 20 million people face acute hunger, while 14 million are displaced, according to Carl Skau, Acting Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), who warned of potential operational cuts due to funding shortages. Fatima Ali, a pseudonym for a mother in the Haj Youssef area east of the Nile, described the collapse of community kitchens, which had sustained her family for 15 months before shutting down due to financial constraints, leaving millions in similar dire straits.
The war’s toll has been compounded by administrative and aerial blockades targeting food supplies. In November 2025, Northern State Governor Lieutenant General Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid Ibrahim issued Emergency Order No. (6), banning the transport of goods to regions controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The decree imposed prison terms of at least five years and fines of 10 million Sudanese pounds for violations, with additional penalties for non-payment. Similar restrictions followed in Khartoum and North Kordofan, leading to the arrest of over 280 traders and the confiscation of foodstuffs like flour, sugar, and rice. These measures, criticized as collective punishment, drew condemnation from the National Umma Party, which labeled them violations of international humanitarian law.
By September 2026, the Sudanese newspaper Ain Al-Haqiqa reported that the conflict had shifted to “a more lethal weapon: starvation,” with allegations that the Sudanese army—accused by opponents of being linked to the Muslim Brotherhood—systematically blockaded Darfur and Kordofan. A Radio Dabanga poll revealed 85% public rejection of these policies, framing them as punitive against western Sudan’s civilians. Meanwhile, the WFP’s Skau highlighted the plight of displaced families, including a former university student living in a hut with no employment and women enduring long waits for water, underscoring the crisis’s human cost.
The conflict has also drawn international scrutiny over alleged use of banned chemical weapons. The U.S. accused Sudan’s armed forces of deploying chlorine gas in 2025, citing classified documents obtained by The Washington Post and The New York Times in September 2026. These reports detailed stockpiles of chemical munitions and their use against the RSF, though the Sudanese government denied the claims, citing a national investigation that found no evidence. The U.S. rejected this as insufficient, urging independent verification by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Sanctions against Sudan intensified after the U.S. accused General Abdel Fattah Burhan, head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, of war crimes, including targeting civilians and obstructing aid. In January 2025, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Burhan, while Human Rights Watch documented airstrikes under his command that killed large numbers of Darfur residents, calling them first-degree war crimes. Despite these accusations, Burhan remained a key diplomatic figure, reflecting the complex geopolitical dynamics shaping the crisis.
The humanitarian and legal ramifications of the conflict have pushed Sudan into a deep quagmire, with international isolation and sanctions straining the economy. The war’s convergence of conflict, displacement, drought, and funding gaps has created a “perfect storm,” as Skau described it, with no immediate resolution in sight. For families like Fatima’s, the path to recovery remains obscured by the relentless cycle of violence and deprivation.
The crisis underscores the urgent need for international accountability and humanitarian intervention. As the WFP warns of scaled-back operations, the world watches a nation grappling with the dual threats of starvation and banned weapons, with civilians bearing the brunt of a conflict that shows no signs of abating.
The Sudanese government’s response to the chemical weapons allegations has been met with skepticism, particularly after the U.S. rejected its national investigation as inadequate. The OPCW, the sole body authorized to conduct technical verification, has yet to launch an independent inquiry, leaving the accusations in a legal limbo. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with community kitchens and aid efforts struggling to meet the growing demand.
As the war enters its fourth year, the human toll remains staggering. Displaced families face daily hardships, from food insecurity to lack of medical care, while the use of banned weapons raises ethical and legal questions about the conduct of all parties involved. The international community’s response—marked by sanctions, condemnation, and limited intervention—has yet to stem the crisis, leaving Sudan’s future in precarious balance.
The conflict’s legacy is one of profound suffering, with no clear end in sight. For millions of Sudanese, the war has become a relentless cycle of loss, displacement, and deprivation, exacerbated by both deliberate blockades and the use of prohibited weapons. As the world debates its role, the voices of those like Fatima Ali remain a stark reminder of the human cost of inaction.
The path forward for Sudan hinges on addressing both the immediate humanitarian needs and the systemic failures that have allowed the crisis to persist. With international attention waning and aid efforts stretched thin, the survival of countless civilians depends on sustained global engagement and adherence to international law.