This article examines how distorted international and regional narratives have contributed to prolonging the war in Sudan since its outbreak in April 2023. It argues that portraying the conflict as a balanced confrontation between two military actors, an ethnically rooted civil war, or a purely internal affair reflects a serious analytical failure that has directly shaped patterns of international engagement and policy responses. The article demonstrates that these narratives have blurred the distinction between the state and armed militias, while also overlooking the role played by regional actors and transnational networks in financing and sustaining the conflict. By analyzing the emergence of these narratives and their practical effects, the article seeks to provide a more accurate understanding of the nature of the conflict as a necessary foundation for developing more coherent and effective international and regional approaches.