Sudan, Africa’s third-largest nation by area, is engulfed in a brutal war that has catapulted its 50 million citizens into extreme despair. While the world is focused on Ukraine and the Middle East, the devastating conflict in Sudan struggles to capture global attention. Since April 2023, a ferocious power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has plunged the country into an acute humanitarian crisis.

This war traces its roots to 2021 when the army and Rapid Support Forces jointly toppled a civilian-led government. However, mutual distrust between the two factions eventually flared into open conflict. Rapid Support Forces commander Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, known as "Hemedti," seeks to claim Sudan’s leadership, whereas army generals insist on maintaining military rule. This relentless quest for power has plunged Sudan into chaos, with both sides showing little regard for the devastating toll on civilians.

Sudan’s unfolding crisis is not just a violent power struggle — it’s a deeper reckoning with governance, legitimacy and the country’s precarious future. At the heart of this chaos lies a pivotal question: Who, if anyone, can guide Sudan toward stability? Is it the Sudanese Armed Forces, steeped in its self-proclaimed role as guardian of national sovereignty? Could it be the Rapid Support Forces, positioning itself as a champion of the people? Or might a third force — likely external — become the broker of an elusive peace?

With a history of recurrent coups and heavy-handed governance, the Sudanese Armed Forces have traditionally dominated Sudanese politics and carry a legacy profusely tainted by corruption, mismanagement and egregious human rights violations. Despite such shortcomings, being the recognized military force, it has a central........

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