Sudan Ceasefire Talks Stall as Fighting Resumes in Khartoum
A proposed three-month humanitarian pause aimed at ending the brutal two-year civil war in Sudan remains unanswered by the army-backed government, as renewed clashes erupt in the capital.
Pro tip: – Consider the impact of the conflict on civilians. The UN calls it the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. Aid organizations believe the death toll is much higher than the WHO’s estimate of 40,000.
Loud explosions rocked Sudan’s army-held capital, Khartoum, on Friday, shortly after the paramilitary Rapid support Forces (RSF) announced its readiness for a truce. The fighting,which pits the RSF against the government-aligned Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF),has plunged the nation into a devastating civil war lasting over two years. According too reporting from al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan, the attacks targeted Omdruman, a part of the greater Khartoum area, and Atbara, north of the capital, but were largely intercepted by the army’s air defense systems.
Reader question: – What is the Quad? It’s a group of international mediators: the United States, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. they proposed a three-month humanitarian pause followed by a permanent ceasefire.
The RSF’s willingness to engage in a ceasefire follows a proposal put forth by the Quad – a group of international mediators comprised of the United States, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. The plan envisions a three-month humanitarian pause, followed by a permanent ceasefire intended to facilitate a transition to civilian rule. However, the SAF has yet to issue an official response.
A Sudanese military official revealed to the Associated Press on Thursday that while the army welcomes the proposal, a truce is contingent upon the complete withdrawal of the RSF from civilian areas and the relinquishing of all weapons. Reporting from Khartoum,Al Jazeera’s Morgan indicated that the army appears prepared to continue fighting until these conditions are met. Conversely, the RSF has stated it will continue hostilities until the SAF accepts the Quad’s proposal.
Despite a period of relative calm in Khartoum since the regular army regained control earlier this year, the RSF continues to launch attacks in various regions. The conflict is now shifting eastward, raising concerns about further escalation.
diplomatic sources, as reported by the Sudan Tribune on Thursday, suggest the US attempted to incentivize army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to agree to the truce by offering to lift sanctions and provide investment opportunities in the mining sector.
The RSF’s declaration of its agreement to the truce came just over a week after the group seized el-Fasher city,the last Sudanese military stronghold in the western Darfur region,following an 18-month siege. The takeover was marred by reports of mass killings, sexual violence, and widespread looting, drawing international condemnation. Fears are now mounting of further atrocities as the conflict expands towards Khartoum and the oil-rich Kordofan region.
The United Nations has accused Quad member the United Arab Emirates of supplying arms to the RSF, allegations the UAE has strongly denied. Senior UAE diplomat Anwar gargash stated on Sunday that the international community erred in supporting both al-Burhan and his rival, RSF commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as “Hemedti,” when they ousted a Western-backed power-sharing government in 2021.
The war, which erupted in 2023 following escalating tensions between al-Burhan and Dagalo, has claimed at least 40,000 lives, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Aid organizations believe the actual death toll could be substantially higher. The civilian population bears the brunt of the suffering in what the UN has described as the world’s worst humanitarian disaster.
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