Two years into war, Sudanese civilians recount trauma, loss and shattered lives
As Sudan’s civil war enters a third year, survivors reflect on lost loved ones, fractured families and memories of a peaceful past
KHARTOUM, Sudan (MNTV) – As Sudan’s devastating civil war marks its second anniversary, survivors are sharing harrowing personal accounts of life disrupted by conflict, displacement, and grief, offering a rare window into the country’s largely overlooked humanitarian catastrophe.
Since fighting erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), more than 12 million people have been forced from their homes, reported Al Jazeera.
Famine has been declared in several areas, and aid agencies warn that hundreds of thousands may have died due to violence, hunger and disease.
Despite the staggering toll, global media coverage remains limited.
The country is now split between eastern and central regions, under army control, and the west and south, dominated by the RSF.
Both sides face accusations of atrocities.
The RSF, in particular, is implicated in possible genocide in Darfur, systematic sexual violence, and attacks on civilians.
Zeinab, reported Al Jazeera, fled South Darfur after repeated failed attempts to reach her hometown due to aerial bombardments.
She eventually escaped through Ethiopia. “We’re now scattered across seven countries,” she said.
“The fear that I may never see my family again has haunted me since the war began.”
Montasser, 30, from Sharq el-Nile, recounted the killing of his cousin by RSF fighters who accused civilians of harboring soldiers.
“They were just drinking tea when they were shot,” he said.
Before the war, Montasser led a youth initiative called Dukkanna that funded school and clinic repairs.
“We were so proud of what we built for the community.”
Musa once took part in Sudan’s 2019 revolution that toppled Omar al-Bashir. He fled Khartoum with his family after the war began.
“I lost hope, I lost my livelihood,” he said. “I tried to feed my family by selling lemons and chopping firewood.”
Yasser, a medical assistant from Wad Madani, recalled joyful Eid gatherings and hospital camaraderie. “Now, I cry when I think of those days,” he said.
His family fled when troops raided their encampment. “We left with whatever we could carry.”
Abubakr, from El-Geneina in West Darfur, survived multiple RSF attacks while fleeing to Chad.
“Every moment brought me closer to death,” he said. “Even in the last town before the border, they were hunting us.”
These testimonies underscore the war’s human cost—far beyond the battlefield.
“What started as a war between two armed factions has become a war on civilians,” one survivor said.
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