Sudan’s Conflict Intensifies Amid Foreign Influence
The war between Sudan's SAF and RSF has become a regional crisis, fueled by foreign backing from powers like Egypt, the UAE, Russia, and Iran. The conflict has forcibly displaced over 11.7 million people and led to mass atrocities in areas like El Fasher. External interference undermines the African Union's efforts and severely threatens regional stability, including Red Sea security.
Khartoum– Sudan’s ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has increasingly drawn in foreign powers, turning a domestic crisis into a regional and global flashpoint.
Foreign Backing Shapes the War
Multiple countries have taken sides, providing material, political, or logistical support that prolongs the conflict:
The SAF is reported to receive support from Egypt, Turkey, Russia, and Iran, according to Le Monde.
The RSF, by contrast, has backing from the United Arab Emirates, with additional support alleged from Chad, Libya, and the Central African Republic.
Several foreign actors deny direct involvement, though international observers continue to document weapons transfers and military assistance.
According to the Foreign Policy Research Institute, external involvement has intensified fighting, hindered humanitarian efforts, and complicated negotiations, as both sides feel emboldened by their foreign allies.
Human Toll
The humanitarian impact of Sudan’s conflict remains catastrophic. According to UNHCR, more than 11.7 million people have been forcibly displaced, both internally and across borders, since fighting intensified. Many of these displaced individuals face severe food insecurity, lack of shelter, and limited access to healthcare.
Reports from OHCHR on 7 November 2025, El Fasher in North Darfur is facing escalating mass atrocities and unlawful killings, with hospitals and IDP camps targeted and civilians trapped by the siege. Reports indicate that over 900,000 people, including many children, are confined in the city, while at least 400,000 people have been displaced from surrounding areas due to RSF offensives. The UN notes summary executions and attacks on humanitarian facilities, contributing to a broader civilian death toll of at least 3,384 in the first half of 2025, mostly in Darfur.
These figures underscore the scale of the crisis and the urgent need for humanitarian assistance, as millions of Sudanese remain vulnerable to hunger, disease, and displacement.
Implications for the African Union and Global Stability
According to the briefing by the European Parliament Think Tank on 4 November 2025, the conflict in Sudan has starkly exposed the capacity constraints of the African Union (AU) in effectively managing large‑scale crises. The report highlights that external interference by foreign powers, including the supply of arms, financial support to rival factions and the leveraging of regional proxies, has undercut the AU’s mediation role and weakened its ability to enforce ceasefires or protect civilians.
Beyond Africa, the war threatens regional stability in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, disrupts key shipping lanes along the Red Sea, and fuels arms proliferation. Humanitarian operations are severely hampered by continued fighting, leaving millions without aid. Analysts warn that if foreign actors continue to fuel the conflict, Sudan may remain a prolonged conflict zone with severe humanitarian and geopolitical consequences for both the continent and the international community.
Sources:
I. United Nations.“Rights Chief Warns‘Abominable Atrocities’ Likely Continue in Sudan’s El Fasher.” UN News, 7 Nov. 2025.https://www.un.org/en/rights-chief-warns-%E2%80%98abominable-atrocities%E2%80%99-likely-continue-sudan%E2%80%99s-el-fasherUnited Nations
II.
III. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).“Sudan Situation— Sudanese Returns (As of 01 November 2025).” ReliefWeb, 1 Nov. 2025.https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/unhcr-core-sudan-situation-sudanese-returns-01-november-2025 ReliefWeb
IV.
V. Malik, Nesrine.“As Criticism Grows, Is UAE Ready to Walk Away from Sudan’s RSF Militia?” The Guardian, 4 Nov. 2025.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/04/sudan-rsf-militia-uae-united-arab-emirates The Guardian
VI.
VII.Marchal, Roland.“‘Many Countries Are Helping Perpetuate the War’ in Sudan.” Le Monde, 7 Nov. 2025.https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2025/11/07/many-countries-are-helping-perpetuate-the-war-in-sudan_6747203_23.html?
VIII.
IX. European Parliament Think Tank. Foreign Influence & Proxy Dynamics in Sudan’s Conflict. EPRS BRI (2025) 779180, 4 Nov. 2025.https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI%282025%29779180
Doniyor Abdullayev
Contributing writer at EUReflect.