The Sudan Crisis: War, Human Rights and Civilian Protection
SRL Swiss presents a comprehensive assessment of the Sudan crisis, examining the historical roots of the war, documented patterns of violence against civilians, and the legal and practical measures needed to strengthen protection and accountability. The report brings together academic research, United Nations documentation, humanitarian assessments, judicial records and independent human rights investigations, with an information cut-off date of 15 October 2026.
The analysis situates the war that began in April 2023 within Sudan’s longer history of regional exclusion, military dominance and fragmented security institutions. It examines how the civilian transition initiated in 2019, the military takeover of 2021, and unresolved disputes over security sector reform contributed to the breakdown of relations between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Particular attention is given to military economic interests, gold revenues and external support networks that help sustain the conflict.
The report follows the conflict across Khartoum, Darfur, Al Jazirah and Kordofan, explaining why changes in territorial control do not necessarily restore civilian security. It examines ethnically targeted attacks in El Geneina, the siege and attacks affecting El Fasher and Zamzam, airstrikes attributed to the Sudanese Armed Forces, and retaliatory violence attributed to the army and allied groups. Sexual violence, abuses in detention, restrictions on humanitarian access and threats against local relief volunteers are assessed with attention to the evidence available for each incident and actor.
A central concern is the cumulative destruction of the conditions necessary for civilian life. Displacement, hunger, damaged health services, interrupted education and the loss of livelihoods reinforce one another. The report distinguishes humanitarian planning estimates from verified incident counts and explains why displacement figures with different definitions and reporting periods cannot simply be combined. It also clarifies the distinction between household-level food insecurity, area-level famine classifications and warnings of future famine risk.
The legal analysis addresses the protection of civilians under international humanitarian law, including distinction, proportionality, precautions in attack, the protection of medical services and the prohibition of starvation as a method of warfare. It examines the elements of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, while preserving the distinction between allegations, investigative findings, official state determinations and judicial decisions. The respective roles and jurisdictional limits of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice are explained separately.
The report also assesses international responses, including ceasefire initiatives, humanitarian diplomacy, arms restrictions, financial measures and support for Sudanese civilian organisations. Its recommendations connect immediate protection needs with longer-term accountability: preventing attacks and reprisals, facilitating impartial relief, preserving evidence, scrutinising arms and financial flows, supporting local humanitarian networks, and ensuring meaningful civilian participation in political decisions.
This 43-page report draws on publicly available sources and includes 59 references, comparative tables, charts and a geographical overview. It does not claim field verification or an independent criminal investigation. Through this assessment, SRL Swiss seeks to support informed public scrutiny and practical action to protect civilians affected by Sudan’s war.