Sudan’s war enters year three with mass displacement, famine risks, and violence, as faith groups sustain hope amid global inattention.
Newsroom (05/05/2026 Gaudium Press ) As Sudan’s conflict enters its third year, the scale of devastation continues to grow, with at least 150,000 people killed and more than 12 million displaced. What began in April 2023 as a power struggle between Sudanese Armed Forces leader Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces commander Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, has evolved into a protracted and increasingly fragmented war.
The two generals, once allies in the 2019 ousting of longtime ruler Omar El Bashir, failed to reconcile competing visions for Sudan’s political future. That breakdown has since spiraled into widespread violence, leaving infrastructure shattered and millions struggling to survive amid shortages of food, medicine, and security.
Despite the scale of the crisis, Sudan has largely faded from global attention.
In an interview with Crux Now, Father John Gbemboyo of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference described a conflict marked not only by military confrontation but by deepening mistrust, social fragmentation, and mounting human suffering.
“There is still hope among the people,” Gbemboyo said. “Human beings have an inherent desire for a better tomorrow — another day of positive change. I believe that there is still hope among the people, even though their current circumstances are not encouraging.”
Fragmentation and mistrust
The rise of ethnic militias has added new layers of complexity to the conflict, making it harder to contain. Gbemboyo suggested that such divisions may stem from longstanding “divide and rule” dynamics that weaken social cohesion and obscure accountability.
At its core, he said, the war reflects deeper structural tensions rooted in Sudan’s history—particularly the lack of trust between central authorities and peripheral regions.
“Where there is a lack of a good relationship between the center and the peripheries… conflict can arise,” he explained. “Unless there is a strong will to negotiate, there may be no shortcut to a stable country.”
A worsening humanitarian emergency
On the ground, conditions continue to deteriorate. Active fighting, drone attacks, and restricted movement have made it difficult for civilians to access basic necessities or flee danger zones.
Food shortages and limited medical care are driving increases in malnutrition and disease, particularly among populations trapped in conflict-affected areas. Meanwhile, refugees continue to cross into neighboring countries, placing additional strain on host communities across East Africa.
Humanitarian operations are also severely constrained. Suspicion among warring factions has limited access for aid organizations, compounding the crisis.
“It is difficult for humanitarian organizations to operate freely,” Gbemboyo said, noting that the full scale of suffering remains hard to measure.
Violence and psychological trauma
Reports of conflict-related sexual violence, ethnic targeting, and attacks on civilians underscore the war’s human toll. Gbemboyo emphasized that such abuses often occur in environments where discipline among fighters breaks down.
“The trauma resulting from sexual violence and ethnic targeting leaves an indelible mark on the people,” he said, calling on leaders to take responsibility for enforcing accountability within their ranks.
International inattention
Efforts to broker peace have so far failed, and Sudan’s crisis has been overshadowed by other global conflicts. According to Gbemboyo, the lack of sustained international focus has contributed to the absence of effective mediation.
“For the moment, the wars in Ukraine and now Iran have overshadowed the suffering of the Sudanese people,” he said. “There is no intermediary body persuading the opposing parties… to make peace.”
He urged international and regional organizations, including the African Union and IGAD, to prioritize Sudan and listen to humanitarian groups operating on the ground.
The Church as a “field hospital”
Amid the withdrawal of many NGOs due to insecurity, the Catholic Church has remained present in parts of Sudan, providing shelter, spiritual support, and a sense of unity for displaced communities.
In parishes where clergy remain, displaced families gather to share limited resources and maintain communal ties. Bishops in Khartoum and El-Obeid have stayed with their communities, offering what Gbemboyo described as a vital source of encouragement.
“The Church is doing what it can,” he said, though he acknowledged it is overwhelmed by the scale of need, including basic provisions for both civilians and those serving them.
A fragile hope for peace
Despite the devastation, Gbemboyo’s message returns to the possibility of reconciliation. He framed peace not simply as an end to violence but as a demonstration of human strength.
“War is the defeat of human ability to negotiate,” he said. “But peace demonstrates the true strength of human beings.”
His appeal is directed not only at Sudan’s leaders but also at the international community: to recognize the urgency of the crisis and respond to what he describes as the “cry of the people” for peace, unity, and recovery.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now
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