War rarely begins with a single act of violence. More often, it grows out of layers of anger, mistrust, and revenge. The ongoing civil conflict in Sudan is a powerful example of how acts of retaliation can entrench divisions and make peace increasingly difficult to achieve.
The tragedy of Sudan reveals a universal truth: revenge is a short-term victory that guarantees long-term suffering. Whether in civil wars or personal disputes, vengeance blinds both sides to shared humanity.
True peace begins only when a society — or an individual — chooses to stop answering pain with pain.
Sudan’s latest civil war began in April 2023, when tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemedti), erupted into open fighting. What began as a power struggle quickly devolved into a devastating nationwide conflict.
But beneath the surface lies a deeper emotional engine — a cycle of revenge that both sides continue to feed.
Revenge is not merely retaliation; it’s a form of emotional justice. In wartime, it becomes a moral justification for violence. Each side views its actions as responses rather than aggressions.
Cycle of Retaliation:
When one group commits an atrocity, the other responds with equal or greater force — claiming it as justice. In Sudan, reports of massacres, ethnic targeting, and assaults on civilians have led to ongoing tit-for-tat violence, especially in Darfur and Khartoum.
Erosion of Restraint:
Revenge divides communities beyond the battlefield. In Sudan, tribes and local militias have taken sides, often motivated by memories of past attacks rather than present politics.
Collapse of Dialogue:
Once both parties see the other as irredeemably cruel, negotiation feels impossible. Revenge hardens attitudes, transforming political disputes into moral crusades.
True peace begins only when a society — or an individual — chooses to stop answering pain with pain.
Sudan’s latest civil war began in April 2023, when tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemedti), erupted into open fighting. What began as a power struggle quickly devolved into a devastating nationwide conflict.
But beneath the surface lies a deeper emotional engine — a cycle of revenge that both sides continue to feed.
Revenge is not merely retaliation; it’s a form of emotional justice. In wartime, it becomes a moral justification for violence. Each side views its actions as responses rather than aggressions.
Cycle of Retaliation:
When one group commits an atrocity, the other responds with equal or greater force — claiming it as justice. In Sudan, reports of massacres, ethnic targeting, and assaults on civilians have led to ongoing tit-for-tat violence, especially in Darfur and Khartoum.
Erosion of Restraint:
As revenge becomes normalized, traditional limits — such as avoiding civilian harm — are discarded. Fighters no longer see enemies as human beings but as symbols of prior pain.
Social Fragmentation:
Social Fragmentation:
Revenge divides communities beyond the battlefield. In Sudan, tribes and local militias have taken sides, often motivated by memories of past attacks rather than present politics.
Collapse of Dialogue:
Once both parties see the other as irredeemably cruel, negotiation feels impossible. Revenge hardens attitudes, transforming political disputes into moral crusades.
Human Consequences
In Sudan, civilians bear the heaviest burden of this cycle. Entire towns have been destroyed not for military reasons but as payback. Families who have lost loved ones may later join militias out of grief and rage, continuing the cycle of vengeance.
This mirrors what psychologists call “the revenge trap” — a pattern where each act of retribution deepens trauma and closes the door to reconciliation. Over time, revenge ceases to bring satisfaction; it simply sustains the pain.
In Sudan, civilians bear the heaviest burden of this cycle. Entire towns have been destroyed not for military reasons but as payback. Families who have lost loved ones may later join militias out of grief and rage, continuing the cycle of vengeance.
This mirrors what psychologists call “the revenge trap” — a pattern where each act of retribution deepens trauma and closes the door to reconciliation. Over time, revenge ceases to bring satisfaction; it simply sustains the pain.
Breaking the Cycle
History shows that ending wars driven by revenge requires more than a ceasefire. It demands reconciliation, truth-telling, and justice that restores, not destroys.
For Sudan and other conflicts, that means:
Allowing independent investigations of war crimes.
Supporting dialogue among tribes, civilians, and religious leaders.
Promoting forgiveness as a form of strength, not weakness.
Ensuring that future leaders acknowledge past suffering without weaponizing it.
History shows that ending wars driven by revenge requires more than a ceasefire. It demands reconciliation, truth-telling, and justice that restores, not destroys.
For Sudan and other conflicts, that means:
Allowing independent investigations of war crimes.
Supporting dialogue among tribes, civilians, and religious leaders.
Promoting forgiveness as a form of strength, not weakness.
Ensuring that future leaders acknowledge past suffering without weaponizing it.
Lessons Beyond Sudan
The tragedy of Sudan reveals a universal truth: revenge is a short-term victory that guarantees long-term suffering. Whether in civil wars or personal disputes, vengeance blinds both sides to shared humanity.
True peace begins only when a society — or an individual — chooses to stop answering pain with pain.
The tragedy of Sudan reveals a universal truth: revenge is a short-term victory that guarantees long-term suffering. Whether in civil wars or personal disputes, vengeance blinds both sides to shared humanity.
True peace begins only when a society — or an individual — chooses to stop answering pain with pain.
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