From Revolution to Catastrophe: The Hidden Forces Behind Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis

In this episode of The Amargi Mosaic, host Elif Sarican speaks with humanitarian analyst Elbashir Idris about Sudan’s trajectory from the 2018/2019 revolution to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. They discuss how the Janjaweed—responsible for the 2003 Darfur genocide—rebranded as the RSF and gained international legitimacy, and what’s happening now in Al-Fashir. Idris reveals his tracking of the war economy and external sponsorship, questioning whether this is truly a civil war or a proxy conflict funded by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other actors. The conversation examines women’s dual reality as revolutionary architects and targets of systematic violence, and the exploitation faced by 12-14 million displaced people. Drawing on his evacuation coordination and aid delivery work, Idris shares whether any path remains toward the Sudan revolutionaries’ vision. Elbashir Idris is a Sudan-focused humanitarian and analyst based in Cardiff who documented the revolution and coup, coordinated evacuations in 2023, and regularly provides analysis on Al Jazeera, DW, and BBC.