RSF paramilitary in Sudan claims to be entering a ceasefire
The leader of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces announced late on Monday that his paramilitary group would commence a three-month humanitarian truce, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement last week regarding his intention to intervene in order to bring an end to a conflict that has driven the nation into famine.
Earlier this month, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, collectively referred to as the Quad, put forward a proposal for a three-month truce, which would be succeeded by peace talks. The RSF stated that it had agreed to the plan, yet shortly thereafter launched a series of drone strikes on army territory.
Monday’s statement seemed to declare a one-sided ceasefire. The announcement followed a day after Sudan’s army chief dismissed the Quad’s proposals and expressed disapproval of the United Arab Emirates’ role as a mediator, given its alleged support for arming the RSF.
The Gulf state has refuted these allegations, asserting its intention to bring an end to the conflict.
“In light of international initiatives, particularly those led by His Excellency U.S. President Donald Trump … I hereby declare a humanitarian ceasefire, which includes a halt to hostilities for a duration of three months,” General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of the RSF stated in a speech on Monday.
He added, “We hope the Quad countries will fulfill their role in encouraging the other side to engage with this step.”
His remarks arrive during a period when the RSF faces criticism for violent assaults on civilians following its seizure of the city of al-Fashir in late October. The takeover solidified its dominance over the Darfur region, and the force has since intensified assaults on the Kordofan region in an effort to seize control of the country.
In his speech on Sunday, Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accused the U.S. proposal of seeking to undermine the Sudanese army while permitting the RSF to retain control of the territory it has captured.
“The presence of these rebels will not be accepted by anyone in Sudan, nor will they be considered part of any future solution,” Burhan stated. He also refuted what he claimed were U.S. allegations of Islamist influence within his administration.
“In his rejection of the US Peace Plan for Sudan, and his repeated refusal to accept a ceasefire, he consistently demonstrates obstructive behavior,” Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE’s minister of state for international cooperation, stated on Monday.
The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023 due to disputes over the integration of two factions, has not only led to widespread famine but has also resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, especially amid ethnically motivated violence.
Accusations of genocide have been directed at the RSF, with both Dagalo and Burhan facing sanctions from the United States.
