How did an argument in Khartoum between two rival generals drag Sudan into civil war and push it to the brink of a repeat of the Darfur genocide of two decades ago? It has not happened yet, but the stage is certainly set in El Fasher, the west's only city still in the hands of junta leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan but besieged by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo – aka Hemedti.

Hemedti's RSF is the offshoot of the Arab Janjaweed militias that two decades ago slaughtered upwards of 200,000 Masalit, Fur and Zaghawa civilians. After 2005, there were mea culpas and pledges to never again to allow a repeat of the 21st century’s first genocide.

Fast forward to 2024 and the international community has a chance to do just that. And yet, its gaze is elsewhere.

Why? And why, after a year of fighting, is there no end in sight for the people of Sudan?

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown. 

Watch moreSudan, a forgotten crisis the world must pay attention to