CIR’s Sudan Witness project supported the New York Times with its reporting on the conflict in Sudan. Pulitzer’s recognition of the coverage shines a vital spotlight on one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
The New York Times has been awarded a Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting, an annual prize awarded to a “distinguished example of reporting on international affairs, using any available journalistic tool”.
Chief Africa correspondent Declan Walsh and staff at the New York Times were recognised for their “revelatory investigation” of the conflict in Sudan. Pulitzer judges praised the team’s “chilling forensic accounts of the Sudanese forces responsible for atrocities and famine”.
The New York Times has consistently provided in-depth reporting on the conflict in Sudan, drawing on both on-the-ground sources and digital investigative techniques. The Pulitzer-winning stories go beyond the headlines, offering detailed analyses of topics including the UAE’s influence on the conflict, the gold trade incentives driving the war, and accounts of atrocities and famine linked to the warring factions.
CIR’s Sudan Witness project is proud to have contributed research findings to the New York Times’ vital coverage of Sudan. Investigators contributed specifically to an award-winning video investigation published on 31 December 2024: How ‘Trophy’ Videos Link Paramilitary Commanders to War Crimes in Sudan.
The investigation untangles the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)’s opaque structure, identifying the commanders linked to likely war crimes. The video investigation was led by Sanjana Varghese and edited by Natalie Reneau and Aaron Byrd, and was aided by Ayin Media’s ground reporting and open source insights from Sudan Witness.
Sudan Witness also contributed to “A Massacre Threatens Darfur – Again”, a story published on 19 June 2024 and reported by Lauren Leatherby, Walsh, Varghese and Christoph Koettl. Satellite imagery analysis revealed that the RSF was using the same “scorched-earth” tactics that were used to ravage Darfur decades ago, to torch thousands of homes and force tens of thousands to flee.
The story was pivotal in explaining the methods driving mass displacement in Sudan, where an estimated 11 million people have been forced to flee their homes since April 2023.
The recognition of the New York Times’ work on Sudan underlines the role of open source research in shedding light on situations and stories where traditional reporting is challenging. This is often the case in Sudan, where ongoing fighting persists largely outside of the global spotlight.
Limited international media coverage stems from several factors: frequent attacks on journalists, significant logistical challenges due to damaged infrastructure, and the collapse and closure of local media. As a result, remote investigation methods have become vital for uncovering potential abuses and understanding developments on the ground.
Despite being one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, it has also been observed that Sudan is often overshadowed by other ongoing conflicts. These combined challenges have left many aspects of Sudan’s suffering largely unknown to audiences around the globe.
Pulitzer’s recognition of the New York Times’ work marks a positive step towards coverage of the Sudanese conflict getting the attention it deserves.
The New York Times’ reporting can be viewed or read in full, here:
- Video: How ‘Trophy’ Videos Link Paramilitary Commanders to War Crimes in Sudan 31 December 2024
- The Gold Rush at the heart of a civil war 11 December 2024
- How a U.S. Ally Uses Aid as a Cover in War 21 September 2024
- As Starvation Spreads in Sudan, Military Blocks Aid Trucks at Border 25 July 2024
- Inside the Mountain Stronghold of an Elusive Rebel Movement 7 August 2024
- A Massacre Threatens Darfur, Again 19 June 2024