Since 15 April 2023, Sudan has been subjected to violent armed conflict between the forces of the de-facto leader of the country, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his deputy, paramilitary “Rapid Support Forces” leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. Both sides in this conflict bear responsibility for the unfolding humanitarian crisis.

An estimated 413 civilians have been killed and 3551 injured since then according to World Health Organisation reports, and many in Sudan fear that there are casualties far in excess of these estimates. In addition, over 330 military personnel were killed and over 3200 injured on both sides of the armed conflict.

Bombardment and shelling of populated areas began without warning, resulting in civilian deaths, injuries and the destruction of homes and businesses. There are also worrying reports of other crimes against the civilian population by armed individuals including looting and rape. 

Attacks have been carried out on key hospitals, water and electricity stations, food markets and medical stores. Thousands have fled Khartoum for nearby villages and towns, as the millions stranded in the city face electricity, water, food and medical shortages. 

At the time of writing this petition, Sudani and Canar internet services have already gone down and Zain and MTN services are gradually losing connectivity. Sudanese may lose all connection to the internet, by which they have been communicating urgent aid requests and sharing information about safe routes, drinking water supplies and the availability of medicines and hospitals that are still operational. They will also be cut off from the outside world and we will lose track of the scale of the humanitarian crisis.

Neither side in the armed conflict has committed to a ceasefire to allow the civilian population to resupply or flee the conflict areas, or to allow international organisations to open safe humanitarian channels. Khartoum, with a population of 6,334,000, is the most affected by the fighting, constant shelling, bombing and pillaging, followed by El Fashir with 256,803 inhabitants, followed by Al Obeid with 716,009 inhabitants.

Diplomatic missions are currently evacuating their nationals from the country by sea, but vulnerable Sudanese lack the means to do so, relatively able Sudanese cannot  leave their homes because of the danger of travelling on the roads and the closure of airspace. 

We call on the international community to act urgently to end the conflict in Sudan, to launch humanitarian interventions to evacuate the people of Sudan to nearby safe countries and to send humanitarian supplies to conflict areas to save lives.