The Chessboard

The genocide in Sudan

As of October 2026, the RSF holds almost all of Darfur, where UN investigators found the hallmarks of genocide against the Masalit, Fur and Zaghawa, in a war with Sudan's army that outside powers keep arming. Choose a future scenario to see where each state would stand, and choose it again to return to today.

Future scenarios
Yemen — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionUnited Arab Emirates — The RSF's main backer — arms, drones, fighters and a gold market (UN investigators); denies itUganda — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionTurkmenistan — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionTurkey — Arms or funds the army (SAF) — the other party, itself accused of war crimesTunisia — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionTogo — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionTanzania — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionSyria — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionSouth Sudan — Deals with both sidesSudan — Sudan — the land of the genocide and the warSomalia — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionSomaliland — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionSaudi Arabia — Arms or funds the army (SAF) — the other party, itself accused of war crimesSão Tomé and Principe — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionRwanda — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionQatar — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionPakistan — Arms or funds the army (SAF) — the other party, itself accused of war crimesOman — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionNigeria — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionNiger — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionMali — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionLibya — A route, rear base or host for the RSF, investigators say; denies taking sidesLebanon — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionKuwait — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionKenya — A route, rear base or host for the RSF, investigators say; denies taking sidesJordan — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionIsrael — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionPalestine — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionIraq — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionIran — Arms or funds the army (SAF) — the other party, itself accused of war crimesGreece — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionGhana — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionGabon — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionEthiopia — A route, rear base or host for the RSF, investigators say; denies taking sidesEritrea — Arms or funds the army (SAF) — the other party, itself accused of war crimesEq. Guinea — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionEgypt — Arms or funds the army (SAF) — the other party, itself accused of war crimesDjibouti — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionN. Cyprus — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionCyprus — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionDR Congo — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionCongo — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionChad — A route, rear base or host for the RSF, investigators say; denies taking sidesCentral African Republic — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionCameroon — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionBurundi — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionBurkina Faso — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionBenin — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionBahrain — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionAngola — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionAlgeria — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionAfghanistan — Calls for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians; little actionYemenUAEUgandaTanzaniaSouth SudanSudanSomaliaSomalilandSaudi ArabiaQatarOmanNigeriaNigerLibyaKenyaIraqIranEthiopiaEritreaEgyptDjiboutiDR CongoChadCARAlgeriaDarfur

← For the RSFFor Darfur's peoples →

  1. The RSF — the perpetrator
  2. Arms, funds and supplies the RSF
  3. Lets the RSF's supplies through, or hosts its leaders
  4. Backs the army, or deals with both sides — fights the RSF, does not protect Darfur
  5. On record for a ceasefire and for civilians
  6. Acts: sanctions, courts, a wider arms embargo

Sudan — the land of the genocide and the war

The powers today

Who stands where

The RSF holds Darfur with arms UN investigators trace to UAE-linked networks; Egypt, Turkey and Iran arm the army it fights; most of the world condemns the genocide, few act.

Tap a state on the map, or a card below, for what it does.

The main actors, from most to least support for Darfur's peoples — why they stand where they do

  • Historical

    • Darfur's sultanate, annexed in 1916
    • Neglect from Khartoum
    • 2003–05: the Janjaweed (Arab militias) genocide
    • Land and water disputes with herders

    Today

    • Survival in Darfur
    • Return to their land
    • Justice for El Geneina and El Fasher
    • Protection, not partition

    Capacity

    Political

    • Survivors' testimony to the ICC and the UN mission
    • No state that speaks for them alone

    Economic

    • Farms, herds and towns destroyed
    • 20 million in Sudan in acute hunger (WFP, September 2026)
    • Famine confirmed in El Fasher (IPC)

    Military

    • Self-defence groups
    • Zaghawa-led joint forces fought beside the army at El Fasher

  • Historical

    • Named the 2004 Darfur killings genocide
    • Sanctions on Bashir's Sudan (1997–2017)
    • Backed the 2019 civilian transition

    Today

    • Red Sea security
    • Keeping Russia and Iran off the coast
    • Alliance with the UAE and the Gulf
    • Advocacy and Congress pressure

    Capacity

    Political

    • Security Council veto
    • Genocide determination (2025)
    • Convenes the Quad

    Economic

    • GDP about $29 trillion
    • The dollar and sanctions

    Military

    • Arms sales to the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia
    • Bases at Djibouti and across the Gulf

    Memberships

    Military

    • NATO
    • Five Eyes
    • Security Council permanent member

    Economic

    • G7
    • G20
    • OECD

    Other bodies

    • The Quad on Sudan (convenor)

  • Historical

    • Anglo-Egyptian rule (1899–1956)
    • Troika guarantor of South Sudan's peace

    Today

    • Penholder's standing
    • Aid and migration
    • Gulf arms trade

    Capacity

    Political

    • Security Council veto
    • Leads on Sudan in the Council

    Economic

    • GDP about $3.6 trillion
    • London's finance and gold market

    Military

    • Arms exports to the Gulf
    • Bases in the Gulf

    Memberships

    Military

    • NATO
    • Five Eyes
    • AUKUS
    • Security Council permanent member

    Economic

    • G7
    • G20
    • OECD

    Other bodies

    • Commonwealth
    • Troika for Sudan (with the US and Norway)

  • Historical

    • Sudanese troops in its Yemen war
    • Jeddah talks host (2023)

    Today

    • Red Sea coast and Vision 2030 projects
    • Rivalry with the UAE
    • A friendly state across the sea

    Capacity

    Political

    • Host of the Jeddah talks
    • Quad member
    • Religious standing

    Economic

    • GDP about $1.1 trillion
    • Sovereign fund near $1 trillion

    Military

    • Defence budget about $75 billion
    • Red Sea navy

    Memberships

    Military

    • GCC joint command
    • Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (leader)

    Economic

    • G20
    • OPEC and OPEC+ (leader)
    • Gulf Cooperation Council

    Other bodies

    • Arab League
    • OIC (host)
    • The Quad on Sudan

  • Historical

    • Condominium over Sudan (1899–1956)
    • The Nile's waters
    • Ties between the two armies

    Today

    • A friendly army in Khartoum
    • Nile security against Ethiopia's dam
    • Border and refugees
    • Wariness of Islamists and of the RSF

    Capacity

    Political

    • Quad member
    • Arab League host
    • The army's closest ally

    Economic

    • GDP about $390 billion
    • IMF and Gulf bail-outs

    Military

    • Largest Arab army (about 440,000)
    • Air and drone strikes, reports say

    Memberships

    Military

    • Major non-NATO ally of the US (1989)

    Economic

    • BRICS (2024)
    • COMESA
    • African Continental Free Trade Area

    Other bodies

    • Arab League (host)
    • African Union
    • OIC
    • The Quad on Sudan

  • Historical

    • Ottoman Sudan
    • Suakin island lease (2017)

    Today

    • Drone exports
    • Red Sea foothold
    • Standing in Africa

    Capacity

    Political

    • NATO member
    • Ties with both the army and the Gulf

    Economic

    • GDP about $1.3 trillion
    • Drone industry

    Military

    • Bayraktar and Akıncı drones
    • Navy in the Red Sea

    Memberships

    Military

    • NATO
    • SCO dialogue partner

    Economic

    • G20
    • OECD
    • EU Customs Union
    • D-8

    Other bodies

    • OIC
    • Council of Europe

  • Historical

    • Arms to Bashir
    • Wagner's gold deals

    Today

    • A Red Sea naval base
    • Arms sales
    • Gold
    • Shield from Western sanctions

    Capacity

    Political

    • Security Council veto
    • Shields Khartoum from wider sanctions

    Economic

    • GDP about $2 trillion
    • Gold and arms trade

    Military

    • Arms supplier
    • Africa Corps (formerly Wagner) in Libya and the CAR

    Memberships

    Military

    • CSTO
    • Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
    • Security Council permanent member

    Economic

    • BRICS
    • Eurasian Economic Union

    Other bodies

    • Commonwealth of Independent States

  • Historical

    • Built Sudan's oil industry
    • Shielded Bashir at the UN

    Today

    • Oil and investment
    • Non-interference
    • Arms markets on both sides

    Capacity

    Political

    • Security Council veto
    • Non-interference

    Economic

    • GDP about $18 trillion
    • Sudan's largest oil partner

    Military

    • Drones and arms sold across the region

    Memberships

    Military

    • Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
    • Security Council permanent member

    Economic

    • BRICS
    • RCEP
    • Belt and Road

    Other bodies

    • Forum on China–Africa Cooperation

  • Historical

    • The army has ruled most of Sudan since 1956
    • Bashir's army armed the Janjaweed (2003–05)
    • 2021 coup with the RSF

    Today

    • Survival of the army and the state
    • Retake 'every inch' from the RSF
    • No role for the UAE
    • Islamist allies in its ranks

    Capacity

    Political

    • Holds Sudan's UN seat
    • Government of Prime Minister Kamil Idris, back in Khartoum since January 2026
    • Al-Burhan under US sanctions

    Economic

    • Port Sudan, oil exports and most gold
    • The pound at about 600 to the dollar (April 2026)

    Military

    • Air force, Turkish and Iranian drones
    • Allied Darfur joint forces and Islamist brigades
    • Accused of war crimes (UN mission; US)

    Memberships

    Military

    • None

    Economic

    • COMESA
    • Greater Arab Free Trade Area

    Other bodies

    • Arab League
    • OIC
    • African Union (suspended since the 2021 coup)
    • IGAD (froze its membership, 2024)

  • Historical

    • Zaghawa ties across the border
    • Proxy wars with Khartoum (2005–10)

    Today

    • Regime security
    • Emirati money and loans
    • A million refugees

    Capacity

    Political

    • Mahamat Déby's government
    • Border with Darfur

    Economic

    • GDP about $20 billion
    • Oil; Emirati loans

    Military

    • Army of about 35,000
    • Amdjarass airstrip

    Memberships

    Military

    • Multinational Joint Task Force (Lake Chad)

    Economic

    • CEMAC
    • ECCAS

    Other bodies

    • African Union
    • OIC

  • Historical

    • RSF fighters in the Saudi–Emirati war in Yemen
    • Gold trade with Hemedti

    Today

    • Gold and farmland
    • Red Sea ports
    • Hostility to Islamists in the army's camp
    • Regional influence through allied forces

    Capacity

    Political

    • Quad member
    • Close US ally
    • Denies any role

    Economic

    • GDP about $540 billion
    • Sovereign funds over $1.5 trillion
    • Dubai: the hub for Sudan's gold

    Military

    • Drones and logistics across the Red Sea and Libya
    • Network of allied forces (Haftar, Yemen's south)

    Memberships

    Military

    • Major Defence Partner of the US (2024)
    • GCC joint command

    Economic

    • BRICS (2024)
    • OPEC
    • Gulf Cooperation Council

    Other bodies

    • Arab League
    • OIC
    • The Quad on Sudan
    • Abraham Accords

  • Historical

    • Grew from the Janjaweed (Arab militias)
    • Bashir's border guard (2013)
    • Gold fortune of the Dagalo family

    Today

    • Rule of Darfur and Kordofan
    • Hemedti's power
    • Recognition for Tasis (Founding)
    • Fighters' public calls to wipe out non-Arab peoples (UN mission)

    Capacity

    Political

    • Tasis (Founding) government in Nyala
    • Hemedti under US genocide sanctions
    • Unrecognised

    Economic

    • Darfur's gold mines
    • Family firms in the UAE
    • Smuggling and looting

    Military

    • Tens of thousands of fighters
    • Foreign drones and mercenaries (UN mission)
    • Holds almost all of Darfur and much of Kordofan

    Memberships

    Military

    • Tasis (Founding) alliance with SPLM-North (al-Hilu)

    Economic

    • None

    Other bodies

    • None; unrecognised

Beyond the map