Cartoon: Trapped by fighting
Sudanese civilians face impossible choices with life-or-death consequences
Many Sudanese are trapped by fighting, unable to reach safety or unwilling to risk the perils of travel. Moreover, the unpredictability of the war makes it difficult to know which places are safe; areas once previously believed to be “safe” suddenly have become battle zones, or were hit by airstrikes.
Sudan is the largest displacement crisis in the world. According to the latest figures from the UN Migration Agency (IOM), 10.9 million people have fled within Sudan (including 2.8 million displaced prior to the start of the current war in April 2023 and 8.1 million displaced since then) and 2.4 people crossed international borders.
This totals approximately 13 million, equivalent to 26% of Sudan’s total population of 50 million. The figure grows daily as violence is still spreading to new areas.
This cartoon was produced for Sudan War Monitor by Khartoon, an artists’ collective publishing political cartoons and graphic reports. The artist is Amani Zain Al-Abidin.
Sudan War Monitor is independent and unaffiliated with either warring party in the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces.