As world leaders prepare to convene at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month, a profound humanitarian crisis in Sudan—widely recognized as a genocide by both the Biden and Trump administrations—remains largely overlooked. Despite repeated reports of mass atrocities and urgent calls from aid organizations, international responses have been limited, leaving millions in dire conditions.

The Darfur region has endured years of escalating violence, primarily driven by clashes between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a militia with external backing, and opposing Sudanese forces. In October last year, the RSF captured the city of El Fasher, resulting in an estimated 60,000 deaths. The conquest marked the culmination of a brutal siege and systematic blockade of food aid.

Amid this turmoil is the story of a 13-year-old girl from El Fasher, who spoke via Zoom with the help of an aid worker but requested anonymity out of fear for her safety. Once a top student aspiring to become a doctor, she and her family were caught in the violence. After attempting to flee, they were stopped at an RSF checkpoint where men and boys were separated at gunpoint. The women and girls were detained for four days in what survivors describe as an improvised rape camp.

The girl recounted enduring repeated sexual assaults at gunpoint. Her mother and sister were also victims of gang rape during this captivity, while an aunt who tried to intervene sustained beatings. After four days, the militia commander allowed the group to leave but confiscated their possessions. In a particularly shocking act, the girl was subjected to female genital mutilation by her captors—a practice her ethnic group does not traditionally follow—inflicting a severe wound that became infected. Her aunt, a trained midwife, attempted rudimentary medical care.

The family eventually reached the Tawila camp, home to approximately 700,000 displaced persons. According to aid workers and multiple family members interviewed, other prisoners, including boys, suffered similar abuses. One of the girl’s sisters gave birth earlier this year to a child fathered by one of the militia members.

The root causes of the violence intertwine competition over land, geopolitical ambitions for control of Sudan and the Red Sea, and deeply entrenched ethnic and racial animosities. Survivors have reported verbal abuse denigrating non-Arab Black Africans, highlighting the ethnic dimension of the conflict.

While independent verification of individual accounts remains challenging, humanitarian organizations such as Amnesty International have documented widespread killings and sexual violence consistent with these reports. Janti Soeripto, president of Save the Children, confirmed that the accounts align with observations made during a recent mission to Darfur. She described the humanitarian response as “wholly inadequate” to meet the escalating needs caused by continued violence and displacement.

International response has been hampered by geopolitical complexities. A recent United Nations report identified the United Arab Emirates as a significant provider of weapons and support to the RSF; however, the Biden administration has refrained from publicly criticizing the UAE. The Trump administration took a less confrontational approach, reportedly influenced by familial business ties with the Emirates. Meanwhile, other regional powers, including Egypt and Iran, have reportedly backed the Sudan Armed Forces, which have also been implicated in atrocities and potential use of chemical weapons.

Currently, nearly two-thirds of Sudan’s roughly 53 million population require urgent humanitarian aid, yet the United Nations has received less than half of the requested funding for relief efforts. Medical care remains scarce, as illustrated by the girl’s ongoing health struggles and the broader insufficiency of services in displacement camps.

Despite repeated warnings and extensive evidence of mass violence over several years, global leaders have largely failed to take effective action, facing criticism for ignoring calls for accountability and adequate humanitarian support. The United Nations’ humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, underscored the disparity between available knowledge and lack of political will, emphasizing that the international community has not yet mustered the resolve necessary to halt the ongoing tragedy in Sudan.