To end the suffering in Sudan and across the region, global community should ensure all state and non-state actors uphold the law.

A state’s right to defend itself and its citizens is a core principle of international law enshrined in the United Nations Charter. For states, self-defence is not a mere privilege but a duty – they have an obligation to safeguard their sovereignty and the wellbeing of their people.

International law is clear on a state’s rights and responsibilities in conflict – whether the said conflict is against another state or a non-state actor. Yet, institutions tasked with upholding international law often inadvertently undermine state sovereignty when responding to a conflict between a state and a non-state actor, like the one in Sudan. They do this by affording non-state actors the same legitimacy as states and their institutions, and politicising their approach to issues relating to justice, human rights and humanitarian law.

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