The war in Sudan, approaching its third year, has become one of the greatest human tragedies of the 21st century. The violent conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has already generated unparalleled devastation.

Cities besieged for months, summary executions, systematic sexual violence, famine used as a method of warfare, and an exodus that has already surpassed 12 million people—the world's largest displacement crisis, according to the United Nations. The capture of the city of El Fasher, the last military stronghold in the Darfur region, marked a turning point.

Testimonies gathered by humanitarian missions and the UN Independent International Fact-Checking Mission describe “a crime unfolding live”: villages burned, families executed for ethnic reasons, and thousands forced to flee to overcrowded camps without water, food, or medical care, among other atrocities.

The European Union has hardened its stance, approving sanctions against Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, the number two at Reporters Without Borders (RSF). It warned that further measures could target all those fueling the conflict, including arms suppliers. The EU's strategy focuses on accountability, supporting investigations by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Fact-Finding Mission.

Simultaneously, the US, Saudi Arabia, and members of the "Quad" are seeking to relaunch negotiations for a ceasefire. However, violence is spreading, and the risk of territorial disintegration is real. The role of the European Union is gaining relevance, not only as a mediator but also as a voice demanding that Sudan not be abandoned to chaos.

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The capture of El Fasher by RSF, after eighteen months of siege and deliberate starvation, symbolizes the brutality in Sudan since April 2023. According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the attack was accompanied by a “systematic campaign of ethnic violence,” directed primarily against Maasai communities and other populations in Darfur.

Reports gathered by emergency teams describe mass executions, bodies left in the streets as a warning, gang rapes, and the abduction of women and children. Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated before the Human Rights Council that "the international community has a moral duty to act to prevent the continuation of large-scale violations."

For Türk, Darfur has once again become an “epicenter of violence reminiscent of the worst moments of the 2000s.” The humanitarian impact is devastating. The World Food Programme warns that more than 70% of the population of Darfur faces severe hunger. Doctors Without Borders reports children suffering from acute malnutrition after weeks of eating animal feed.

The destruction of agricultural infrastructure and the blocking of international aid exacerbate the risk of widespread famine. The intensity of the conflict has already acquired a regional dimension. Sudanese authorities and UN experts accuse the United Arab Emirates of providing military support to RSF, allegations denied by Abu Dhabi.

The EU stresses that the continuation of atrocities depends on who, directly or indirectly, supplies weapons, funding, or logistics. This external link, according to Brussels, fuels an uncontrollable cycle of violence without concerted diplomatic intervention.

The Sudanese Armed Forces deny responsibility, but are also accused by the UN of indiscriminate attacks, including bombings in residential areas. The competition between the groups, former post-Bashir allies, has degenerated into a struggle that threatens to destroy the state structure, turning the country into a political vacuum left to militias.

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In the face of violence, the The European Union has hardened its stance.The sanctions against Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo — asset freeze and ban on entry into the European area — demonstrate Brussels' intention to hold individuals accountable.

Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Policy, stated that the “seizure of El Fasher has opened a devastating new chapter in the conflict” and that the EU intends to “send an unequivocal warning that impunity must end.”

The European Council considers that Reporters Without Borders (RSF) resorted to methods prohibited by international law: starvation as a weapon, sexual violence, ethnic attacks, and blocking aid. These practices constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The EU will not hesitate to sanction other responsible parties—military, civilian, or international allies—should they continue to destabilize the country.

Meanwhile, the EU has reinforced financial support for UN investigative missions and the mechanisms of the International Criminal Court, insisting on the collection of evidence. According to European Ambassador Deike Potzel, this makes rigorous documentation an absolute priority.

"Persisting in impunity opens the door to new atrocities." – Deike Potzel.

European policy is not limited to sanctions. The EU demands immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access, insisting that the protection of civilians cannot depend on a ceasefire. Brussels is calling for the acceleration of visas for humanitarian situations, the elimination of fees, and an end to the arbitrary expulsion of medical teams.

The EU emphasizes that a permanent UN presence in Darfur is "a minimum condition for guaranteeing security." Finally, the European Union intends to extend the UN arms embargo to the whole of Sudan. For Brussels, as long as there are arms routes to RSF or SAF, the conflict will escalate.

The EU will also intensify diplomatic contacts with enabling states, pressing them to assume responsibility and cease wartime support.

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In addition to the European Union, other powers have intensified diplomatic efforts. The US will work with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt to restore negotiations. The US President declared that the violence in Darfur requires coordinated action, or risk spiraling out of control.

Saudi Arabia, the previous mediator, advocates for an immediate ceasefire and has proposed the creation of independent oversight. However, a lack of mutual trust, fueled by massacres and blockades, hinders diplomatic progress, while the UN maintains a strong presence on the ground.

Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, described Darfur as "a true horror," comparing El Fasher to "an open-air crime scene." The Human Rights Council convened a special session, supported by EU member states, to condemn the atrocities and strengthen the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission.

"The international community must act urgently to prevent the violence from escalating into prolonged genocide." – Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner.

For Türk, the combination of ethnic cleansing, famine, siege, and systematic sexual violence reveals intentions that go beyond a conventional conflict. Despite the warnings, the international response is fragmented. Disagreements between countries supporting opposing sides and those advocating neutrality are delaying Security Council resolutions.

Millions of Sudanese remain trapped between two military forces with little willingness to negotiate. Experts in African diplomacy warn of a point of no return: the destruction of El Fasher, administrative implosion, and the growing dominance of local militias could mean the disintegration of the country.

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The humanitarian crisis has reached unprecedented proportions. More than 12 million people have abandoned their homes since 2023, overcoming crises such as those in Syria and Yemen. In Darfur, families travel kilometers under bombardment, arriving at displacement camps where everything is lacking: water, food, medicine, shelter, and security. The impact on children is devastating.

Doctors Without Borders examined 70 newly arrived children in El Fasher one night, all suffering from acute malnutrition. After 500 days of siege, many families are surviving on animal feed, humanitarian organizations warn. The deliberate destruction of infrastructure – hospitals, schools, markets, water wells – renders vast areas of Darfur uninhabitable.

The UN warns that, without immediate aid, famine could reach the levels of 2003–2004. In the rest of the country, the situation is dire. Khartoum, once a vibrant capital, is reduced to rubble. Neighborhoods have disappeared after fighting and looting. The SAF and RSF are fighting over residential areas, turning streets, schools, and hospitals into trenches.

Economic collapse and the absence of basic services exacerbate the suffering: unpaid wages, hospitals without electricity, and a currency devalued by more than half. Several African diplomats have warned of the real risk of territorial fragmentation, similar to Somalia in the 90s, with regional militias controlling the terrain and the central state losing authority.

This scenario would have disastrous consequences for the already unstable Horn of Africa, plagued by extremist groups and food crises. Experts warn that time is running out to prevent collapse. Without a monitored ceasefire, without an end to the flow of weapons, and without effective political commitment, the country risks becoming an ungovernable and irreversible power vacuum.