A year since it started, the war in Sudan has spiralled into one of the world’s largest and most complex displacement crises. Since April 15, 2023, more than 8.6 million people have fled their homes, with 1.8 million people, mostly women and children, crossing to neighbouring countries.

Khartoum

The conflict in Sudan has escalated into a significant humanitarian crisis over the course of a year. This war has led to one of the world's most severe and intricate displacement situations. Since its inception, over 8.6 million individuals have been forced to leave their homes due to the violence and unrest.

A significant number of those displaced, approximately 1.8 million people, consisting mostly of women and children, have sought refuge in neighboring countries. The situation highlights the dire circumstances and the massive scale of displacement caused by the ongoing conflict in Sudan.



A year of Sudan war: Mass displacement, violence and violations

A clock tower in ruins, along with many other buildings. This was the municipal headquarters of Umm Durman, Sudan's second-largest city in the capital Khartoum. Destroyed by a year of conflicts between the Sudanese army and the Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, repeated artillery, drone and airstrikes has left it void of any signs of life. Much of the city was once a stronghold of the RSF during the first days of the fighting, which began a year ago. The army and the RSF have been battling it out to have the upper hand in the capital. In the first days of the conflict, RSF fighters took control of the presidential palace, state TV headquarters, a major oil refinery in the capital, parts of the main airport and many residential areas. The army's offensive came in December and started in Umm Durman, resulting in the recapture of TV headquarters. Government forces have also regained some territory in the northern part of the capital. In Khartoum alone, fighting killed at least 13,000 people. Umm Durman city plays a major role in this conflict, serving as a supply line for the Rapid Support Forces in the first few months of the fighting. It's also where the paramilitary and the Sudanese army's fierce battles have been fought and where some of the worst destruction in the capital region can be seen, a year after the battle began. Talks to try to find an end to the bloodshed have failed to produce results. The RSF also took over much of Darfur and Jazeera State in the center of the country. The UN has accused the paramilitary group of ethnic cleansing and war crimes in West Darfur when it and allied militias targeted ethnic Masalit tribesmen. The international agency says in that state alone, between 10,000 to 15,000 people have been killed and more than half a million displaced by violence. In the past year, more than 9 million Sudanese have been forced from their homes. It's the world's largest displacement crisis. Three artillery shells fell on our homes. We were not able to sleep the night before we left. In the morning, we took off with only the clothes we were wearing. We were many families. The kids had no food or water for days. The UN has warned that the fighting is creating what it calls a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Efforts to revive talks between the warring sides are ongoing. But for now, the sounds of artillery and gunfire continue to dominate the capital and other parts of the country. Hiba Morgan, Al Jazeera, Omdurman.

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