Episode Details

On 15 April 2023, the world watched the eruption of hostilities in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, which also spread to other parts of the country, notably Darfur. As in most conflicts fought in urban settings, civilians have been greatly affected by the fighting, in this case between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Multiple medical facilities and critical infrastructures have been damaged or destroyed, thousands of people are currently displaced and humanitarian organizations are facing difficulties to reach people in need. In this post, ICRC legal advisers Julie Lefolle and Jelena Nikolic summarize the basic rules of international humanitarian law (IHL) that apply in situations of non-international armed conflicts, aiming to protect those who are not, or no longer fighting against the effects of hostilities, including persons deprived of their liberty, and medical and humanitarian personnel.