EU: 150,000 Killed in Sudan War as Country Faces World’s Largest Humanitarian Crisis

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The European Union said Sudan experienced one of the world’s gravest human rights and democracy crises in 2025, as the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied armed groups entered its third year, with more than 150,000 people reportedly killed since the conflict began.

The assessment was contained in the European Union’s Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World for 2025, issued on August 11, 2026. The report included a dedicated section on Sudan covering human rights, humanitarian and political developments during the year.

According to the report, more than 28 million people in Sudan require food and livelihood assistance, while more than two-thirds of the population need humanitarian assistance. More than 14 million people have been displaced, representing around one-third of the country’s population. The United Nations has described Sudan as the world’s largest displacement crisis, while the EU said the country is currently facing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

Widespread Violations and War Crimes
The EU said 2025 witnessed a dangerous escalation in “grave and widespread” violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, particularly in Darfur, amid the RSF offensive against El Fasher and its takeover of the city in late October 2025.

The report cited mass killings, abductions and forced detention, sexual violence against women and girls, mass displacement and the closure of humanitarian access routes, exposing civilians to severe hunger. It also cited extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and targeted killings of emergency response workers.

The EU referred to the findings of the UN-mandated Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan, which published its report, “Sudan: A War of Atrocities,” in September 2025.

The EU said the report documented violations committed by both the SAF and RSF, with most of the violations clearly amounting to war crimes. It added that acts attributed to the RSF could amount to crimes against humanity, including persecution and extermination.

The report said there were also reports of systematic and deliberate attacks against civilians and critical infrastructure, including hospitals, markets, water and food systems, as well as forced displacement, sexual and gender-based violence, torture and other serious violations.

It further cited allegations that RSF forces carried out attacks against communities on ethnic and gender grounds, particularly against the Masalit community in Geneina, West Darfur, and the Fur and Zaghawa communities following the RSF takeover of El Fasher in October 2025.

Sudan Among the World’s Lowest for Press Freedom
The EU said both parties to the conflict carried out extensive internet shutdowns and restricted access to information and freedom of expression through attacks on media outlets, journalists and human rights defenders. The parties also obstructed humanitarian access.

Sudan received a score of 1 out of 100in the Freedom in the World index and ranked 156th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.

EU Support for Civil Society and Accountability
The report said the EU’s engagement with Sudan during 2025 remained largely shaped by the conflict that began in April 2023, which disrupted plans to re-engage with a civilian-led transitional government.

Despite the difficult operating environment, the EU said it continued to support civil society organizations and UN agencies working on human rights and adopted a flexible approach to ensure the continuity of assistance.

Among its key initiatives was a 10 millionproject aimed at supporting democratic transformation and social cohesion through the promotion and protection of human rights in Sudan, including support for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The EU also provided 5 millionto improve access to justice and the rule of law by strengthening legal aid services for vulnerable groups, including women, children and persons with disabilities.

The report said EU support also focused on accountability and combating impunity, women’s rights and gender-based violence, transitional justice and human rights protection.

New EU Sanctions
The EU said it continued to call for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians, humanitarian access and the resumption of the transition toward civilian government.

It maintained four packages of restrictive measures imposed since 2024 against individuals and entities involved in activities undermining Sudan’s stability and political transition, while adding two new packages in 2025.

Under a Council decision adopted on July 18, 2025, the EU imposed restrictive measures on two individuals and two entities linked to the RSF and SAF. A second package, adopted on November 20, 2025, targeted one individual affiliated with the RSF.

The sanctions include asset freezes and prohibitions on making funds, financial assets or economic resources available to listed individuals and entities. Listed individuals are also subject to travel bans to EU member states.

€20 Million Programme for Vulnerable Groups
The report said the EU prepared a **€20 million** programme in 2025 to promote the social and economic inclusion of children and young people and protect the rights of vulnerable groups in displacement-affected communities in Sudan.

The programme targets women heads of households, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, unaccompanied minors, children at risk for other reasons, and persons with disabilities in communities affected by displacement.

The EU said it continued to cooperate with the United Nations on investigations into human rights violations in Sudan and to support the mandate of the UN Independent Expert on Sudan, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission and the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan.

As part of efforts to combat impunity, the EU described Sudan as a key political focus in its global support for the International Criminal Court (ICC).