Sudan: The War the World Forgot

The conflict in Sudan, which reached its three-year anniversary this week, has been described as the war the world forgot.

Not because it ended. Not because it eased. But because other conflicts have dominated global headlines: Ukraine, Gaza, and now the crisis across the Middle East.

The war in Sudan began on April 15, 2023, as a sudden eruption of violence between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Despite the enormous devastation caused during this three-year conflict, it has been on the margins of the world’s attention.

Estimates suggest over 150,000 people have lost their lives and almost 12 million – around a third of the population – have been displaced.¹ Approximately 19 million people are now facing acute hunger, with famine conditions emerging in some areas as access to food and aid becomes increasingly limited.² The United Nations describes it as the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.³

While global focus is mostly elsewhere, SAT-7 continues to broadcast into Sudan and share Sudanese voices and testimonies of faith across the region. And its Viewer Support Team remains connected to those living through the war: replying to messages sent from people in camps, offering prayer and personal support.

Faith, despite the war, will not fall silent.

While global focus is mostly elsewhere, SAT-7 continues to broadcast into Sudan, and share Sudanese voices and testimonies of faith across the region.

Senseless War

From the earliest days, those caught up in the Sudanese conflict spoke of sudden violence, shattered homes, and the urgent need to flee. Across the region, viewers responded with prayer and messages of support.

For Iman, who, three years later, is still weathering the conflict in a displacement camp within Sudan, SAT-7’s worship and teaching programs remain a vital source of strength.

“Peace and blessings,” she writes. “I am from Sudan, a country of senseless war.

“Honestly, I love worship, and I solve all my problems through worship because worship is a very powerful weapon to fight the enemy. I know very well that the words of worship penetrate to the depths of the soul and body, creating miracles.

“I have experienced all this,” she adds, “while being displaced in a camp.”

Faith and Worship

For many Sudanese, displacement has become a way of life. Over four million have fled across borders into neighboring countries: hundreds of thousands to Egypt,⁴ 1.3 million to Chad,⁵ and over half a million to South Sudan.⁶

Millions are also living in camps or informal settlements within the country, many in overcrowded and severely under-resourced conditions. Access to food, clean water, and healthcare is often limited.

And yet, Iman’s words do not dwell on the hardships of the conflict. Instead, she speaks of her faith, adding that she would be grateful if SAT‑7 could send her references to various Christian readings, as well as hymns she might sing to encourage her faith.

The war is still there. Displacement is still there. But so are worship and faith.

On SAT-7, series such as Light of the Resurrection, created by Sudanese Christians, and episodes of You Are Not Alone featuring those affected by the war, offer both spiritual encouragement and a sense of connection in the midst of ongoing uncertainty.

Not Forgotten

Three years later, the language has shifted: from the urgency of escape to the reality of endurance. For many, life has not returned to what it was before. It has simply continued, shaped by new challenges and ongoing uncertainty.

Food and safety remain a priority for millions across Sudan. But so does hope: the hope to endure each day. Through its programs and Viewer Support Team, SAT-7 continues to meet that need: offering prayer, spiritual encouragement, connection, and a space to be heard, even as the wider world’s attention focuses elsewhere.

For SAT-7, this war – and the people living through it – cannot and will not be forgotten.

Sources

¹ House of Lords Library

² World Food Program

³ UNICEF

⁴ UNHCR | Egypt

⁵ UNHCR | Chad