The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and Russia’s war in Ukraine continue to capture much of the world’s attention as 2023 comes to a close, but many other deadly conflicts are silently happening in the Middle East and North Africa. The war in Sudan escalated this year, as did Syria’s north and Iraq’s border with Turkey.
The following is a look at significant conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa this year.
Sudan
The war in Sudan, between the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, erupted in April. More than 12,000 people have been killed so far. In December, The RSF launched an attack on the previously calm Wad Madani, in the east-central part of the country. Wad Madani was a center of humanitarian operations and a safe haven for Sudanese fleeing the fighting in Khartoum, the capital.