Sudan: RSF agrees to humanitarian ceasefire

Cairo: The Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group that has been at war with the Sudanese military for over two years, said Thursday it has agreed to a humanitarian truce that was proposed by US-led mediator group, also known as the Quad. The agreement to the proposal comes over a week after the RSF seized el-Fasher city that has been under siege for over 18 months. It was also the last Sudanese military stronghold in the Sudan’s western Darfur region.

“The Rapid Support Forces also looks forward to implementing the agreement and immediately commencing discussions on the arrangements for a cessation of hostilities and the fundamental principles guiding the political process in Sudan, in a manner that addresses the root causes of the conflicts, ends the suffering of the Sudanese people,” the RSF statement read.

A Sudan military official told The Associated Press that the army will only agree to a truce when the RSF completely withdraws from civilian areas and give up weapons as per previous peace proposals. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter.

Massad Boulos, a US adviser for African affairs, said the U.S. was working with the Sudanese army and RSF to bring about a humanitarian truce and could have an announcement “soon.”

“We were working on this for the last almost 10 days with both sides, hoping to finalize the details,” Boulos told the AP in an interview

on Monday.

The US-led plan would start with a three-month humanitarian truce followed by a nine-month political process, he said.

The US has been working with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates — the Quad — on ways to end the war.

New waves of displacement in Sudan are raising alarm among aid groups and local doctors, who warn that the influx of people is putting additional strain on already overcrowded camps struggling with scarce resources.

The non-profit Islamic Relief warned in a statement Thursday that community kitchens that provide a lifeline to many families are at risk of collapse.