The United Nations called the Sudanese civil war “The world’s largest ongoing humanitarian crisis,” with more than 12.4 million forcibly displaced from their homes and 637,000 facing famine and starvation since the latest iteration of the conflict began in 2023. In its wake, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity take place with no foreseeable end. The U.S. should lead the charge to stop the bloodshed in Sudan.
The conflict centers on the Rapid Support Forces, an Arab-supremacist militant faction that split from the Sudanese Armed Forces, which controls the western Darfur region of Sudan. The RSF and SAF collaborated to overthrow the joint military-civilian government in 2021, yet distrust grew between their respective leaders, who accused each other of seeking power for themselves. In 2023, RSF and SAF forces officially engaged, and each quickly moved to control territory.
Both the RSF and SAF have been credibly accused of war crimes. Still, it was the RSF that has engaged in what former Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared to be a genocide in January. RSF militants indiscriminately shoot and kill non-Arab civilians with the undeniable goal of ethnically cleansing the region. Reports of armed men entering homes, demanding women surrender to them and subjecting them to rape and assault are now commonplace, with victims as young as one-year-olds.
The U.S. — with its notable diplomatic and economic leverage over key players — is the only country that can feasibly intervene to stop the horrors, and it should endeavor to do so. With a clear, limited goal, the U.S. can secure the safety of Sudanese civilians and do so without military intervention.
First, the U.S. needs to exert diplomatic pressure on the United Arab Emirates, a major financial and military backer of the RSF, and consider imposing possible sanctions for its role in the conflict. The UAE is a major importer of gold and seeks to secure access to Sudanese gold mines controlled by the RSF. Without UAE backing, RSF’s power will weaken, and their interest in maintaining legitimacy will supersede their desire to fight a losing war.
Secondly, the U.S. should establish lines of communication with the RSF and SAF, appoint special envoys and incentivize both sides to engage in peace talks. To achieve genuine peace, both sides must see a potential benefit from dialogue. The U.S. should lead these potential talks, in coordination with regional allies, to maximize pressure.
Finally, the U.S. should expand its presence in Africa long-term to achieve two critical objectives: making inroads with the global south and foiling Chinese and Russian expansion on the continent. If the U.S. is successful in securing lasting peace, it will signal to the world that the U.S. remains a worthwhile arbiter to engage with. If nothing is done, the atrocities will continue unabated and U.S. influence will yield to its adversaries.
