This report provides an overview of conflict-related social media content in Sudan during the period between December 2025 and January 2026. It focuses on narratives of hate speech, incitement to violence, and expressions of solidarity across different geographies. It highlights how these narratives evolve online and reflect the country’s broader conflict dynamics.

The analysis draws on content from Facebook, X, and TikTok. The data collection combines account-based and keyword-based tracking, focusing on public posts that engage with conflict-related discourse. Content is classified to identify hate speech, incitement to violence, solidarity expressions, and actor affiliations (e.g., SAF, RSF, or unaffiliated), as well as references to specific regions and communities.

This report focuses on recurring narrative patterns and tactics observed across social media rather than on the intentions, affiliations, or authenticity of its authors. While some posts originate from accounts aligned with conflict actors, the narratives they promote are often reproduced by unaffiliated users and spread widely once they circulate online. We recognize that individuals can shift their perspectives and communication approaches over time, and this snapshot analysis should not be taken as a permanent characterization.

All analysis follows a do-no-harm approach and includes only public content. The report is written and disseminated by Build Up, based on participatory analysis work with a group of Sudanese researchers. All data is collected and processed using the Phoenix social media listening platform and can be made available for Sudanese and international researchers who are working towards peace in Sudan.

Main Results 

Volume and Engagement 

• Between December and January, hate-speech posts in the data sample across all platforms decreased by about 17%. In those months. The decrease is likely linked to the fact that the Al-Fasher events occurred earlier, and the surge in related discourse has since subsided despite the continued escalation of military operations in Kordofan.

Spikes in Online Activity

• On 4 December, a drone strike by the Sudanese Armed Forces on the city of Kologi in South Kordofan resulted in civilian casualties, including children. The incident triggered a wave of condemnation online, with activists highlighting the escalating human cost of the conflict in the Nuba Mountains.
• On 13 December, a digital campaign launched by civilian supporters successfully countered calls for demonstrations intended to grant the SAF a popular mandate. The online pushback coincided with the US imposing sanctions on an international recruitment network for the RSF, intensifying the digital debate over external intervention and domestic legitimacy.
• On 19 December, the seventh anniversary of the December Revolution was commemorated across social media. The occasion served as a focal point for pro-democracy activists to renew their commitment to revolutionary ideals, despite the ongoing war, sparking a surge in content honoring the movement’s legacy.
• On 1 January, Sudan’s 70th Independence Day was marked by a blend of nationalistic sentiment and somber reflection. Online discussions focused on the irony of celebrating sovereignty while the country remains gripped by internal displacement and systemic violence.
• On 2 January, the UAE Ministry of Defense’s announcement regarding its withdrawal from Yemen was met with widespread ridicule from SAF supporters. This led to a sharp increase in posts demanding the UAE similarly cease its alleged support for the RSF, further fueling anti-UAE sentiment in the Sudanese digital space.
• On 26 January, the 134th anniversary of the liberation of Khartoum ignited a heated online debate regarding the historical legacy of the Mahdist state. The digital divide saw users split between those celebrating the event as a national victory and those criticizing it as the dawn of a tyrannical era, reflecting deep-seated historical polarization.