A Letter to the Prime Minister: Give Your Full Attention to the Parallel Hidden War – The Drug War in Sudan

By Police Lieutenant General (Ret.) Dr. Najm al-Din Abd al-Rahim Khalafallah
While the Sovereign Council, the Armed Forces, and other regular forces are engaged in the War of Dignity to defeat the rebellious militia, there is a hidden war being waged by that very militia and its backers: a war aimed at spreading drugs and addiction among the sons and daughters of Sudan. The purpose is to cripple the Sudanese people and government, obstructing their efforts to rebuild and develop the country.
This hidden war requires the civilian government to activate all institutions responsible for combating and raising awareness about drugs, to reduce the supply in the Sudanese market, and to curb demand through continuous education of the youth.
Drugs are used across the world for one of two purposes: either by drug dealers seeking quick and high profits, or by imperialist states and organisations targeting other countries for various reasons. History bears witness to this: a great power like China ceded precious parts of its territory due to widespread drug addiction, fuelled by opium imported from Britain through the East India Company. China was later forced into harsh concessions to the UK and the US in exchange for a reduction in opium exports from Europe.
A country like Germany, too, was targeted with drugs by its adversaries, becoming one of the nations with the highest addiction rates and among the lowest global population growth rates.
It is also well known that Lebanon is one of the largest opium-producing countries in the Arab world, owing to it being targeted by the Zionist state, which has paralysed Lebanon’s development and left it hostage to internal conflicts and wars.
Therefore, dear reader, be aware that the harm of drug use extends far beyond the addicted individual.
Why Are Drugs So Dangerous?
The danger lies in the fact that the damage of drugs transcends the addict. It harms the addict’s health, leads to the disintegration of families, and destabilises the wider community. The addict becomes a threat to those around him through criminal behaviour, and socially withdraws from any positive contribution to society. On a national level, the drug problem threatens state security, as addicts can easily be recruited into criminal networks and hostile organisations, becoming mercenaries and agents working against their own country. Even if they avoid that fate, they remain incapable of making a positive contribution to the state.
War: The Ideal Conditions for Targeting Societies
Drug dealers find it difficult to penetrate healthy, stable societies in peacetime. But wars and conflicts create fertile ground for drug markets, whether the motivations are personal, societal, or political. In times of war, individuals are more vulnerable to drug use and addiction due to psychological trauma or the desperate need for income amid collapsing economic conditions. Societies, in turn, become more exposed due to displacement, instability, and mental exhaustion from the pursuit of basic survival. States, for their part, become overwhelmed with security and humanitarian concerns, leaving little capacity for tackling social issues.
Amid this exhaustion and the strain of maintaining security and food supplies, drug traffickers infiltrate and may even operate openly, emboldened by the state’s weakened authority.
What About the Anti-Narcotics Agencies?
The General Administration for Drug Control, under the Police Force, is the principal body tasked with combating drugs. The National Committee for Combating Drugs, various national and regular forces, and relevant regional and international organisations support it.
Sudan has signed all major international drug control conventions (1961, 1971, 1988), and remains an active member of all regional and international organisations in the Arab and African contexts. It also participates annually in the international conference held in Vienna and is among the founding signatories of those treaties.
However, it is certain that the current war has severely impacted the performance of this administration and its partners due to a critical shortage of essential resources: vehicles, weapons, surveillance, detection, and tracking equipment — all of which were damaged or destroyed in direct attacks by the militia on the administration’s headquarters and provincial offices. This requires urgent intervention by the central government to replace what has been lost during the conflict.
Additionally, community-based monitoring — which had played a vital role in aiding the administration — has been severely disrupted due to mass displacement. One must also recall that a large number of convicted drug traffickers were released from federal and provincial prisons by militia forces in 2023 and 2024. It is almost certain that many of them have resumed their previous criminal activities.
A Way Out of the Crisis
Sudan cannot overcome this crisis without assistance from international, regional, and local organisations to provide the necessary tools and technologies for drug detection, tracking, and interception.
To secure international and regional support, Sudan must persuade these organisations of the grave risk posed if the country becomes a safe haven for drug cartels. Sudan’s central location in Africa and the Arab world, along with its strategic position on the Red Sea, makes it a potential maritime corridor for drug trafficking to Europe and Asia — unless its ports and borders are properly equipped with surveillance and detection systems.
International and Regional Support Is a Right, Not a Favour
Sudan’s right to international support from the United Nations and other relevant bodies — such as the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Arab Bureau of Narcotic Affairs, and the African Union Drug Office — is not a charitable gesture but a right necessitated by current security conditions and the potential consequences for the broader region if the problem is left unaddressed.
It is therefore the responsibility of the National Committee for Combating Drugs to vigorously pursue this support, particularly to rebuild and empower the General Administration for Drug Control.
A Comprehensive National Strategy Should Include:
Restructuring and revitalising the National Committee for Combating Drugs
Equipping the General Administration for Drug Control with the necessary vehicles, weapons, staff, and detection and tracking equipment
Utilising the media — especially digital platforms — to raise awareness among families and youth about the dangers of drugs
Mobilising national NGOs to contribute to awareness efforts and reduce demand
Engaging international and regional organisations in both supply reduction and support for the national demand-reduction strategy overseen by the Committee
Political Backing Is Essential from the Highest Executive Authority
Your political support, Honourable Prime Minister, is essential to enable drug control agencies to fulfil their responsibilities. This support would also mobilise the relevant public and private sectors to actively contribute to combating drug proliferation in Sudan.
Hence the importance of your endorsement and personal sponsorship of the national anti-addiction campaign in Sudan.
May God allow us to reach the next International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, on 26 June 2026, with Sudan enjoying peace and security — so we may all work towards a drug-free Sudan.

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=6336