Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have accepted a proposal for a humanitarian ceasefire put forth by the United States and Arab nations and are willing to engage in discussions regarding a cessation of hostilities, as per a statement released on Thursday. Various ceasefire initiatives have been agreed upon by both the RSF and the Sudanese army over the course of their 2½-year conflict, with none proving successful. The U.S. government, under President Donald Trump’s administration, has been actively involved in efforts to halt the fighting in Sudan.
The RSF’s recent announcement, to which the Sudanese army has yet to respond, follows the group’s capture of the famine-stricken city of El Fasher after an 18-month siege. El Fasher, a significant military stronghold in western Darfur, was the final territory held by the Sudanese military in the region.
In a statement, the RSF expressed its readiness to uphold the agreement and promptly initiate talks on the modalities for a halt to hostilities and the core principles guiding Sudan’s political process. While the army-led Security and Defense Council met earlier this week and did not provide a definitive answer to the proposal, key figures and supporters within the army have voiced their dissent.
A Sudanese military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, disclosed to The Associated Press that the army welcomes the proposal but insists on a truce only when the RSF completely withdraws from civilian zones and surrenders weapons in line with past peace proposals. Massad Boulos, a U.S. adviser for African affairs, affirmed ongoing collaboration with both the Sudanese army and RSF to achieve a humanitarian truce, hinting at an imminent announcement.
The conflict between the RSF and the military began in 2023 amid escalating tensions between the former allies tasked with overseeing a democratic transition post the 2019 uprising. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the war has claimed the lives of at least 40,000 individuals and displaced 12 million, with aid groups suggesting the actual death toll could be significantly higher. Reports indicate over 24 million people are grappling with acute food shortages, as highlighted by the World Food Program.
Sudan has been characterized by humanitarian organizations as facing one of the most severe displacement crises globally. The capture of El Fasher by the RSF triggered further displacement, with reports of civilian casualties and abductions, raising international alarm. The United Nations human rights office estimated that numerous civilians and unarmed combatants may have been executed during the city’s fall to the RSF, constituting potential war crimes.
The RSF commander dismissed allegations of civilian killings as media exaggerations, asserting the group’s compliance with investigations into any violations. The RSF purportedly aided in the evacuation of city inhabitants and urged aid agencies to assist those remaining. Notably, the commander mentioned that individuals posing as civilians had been detained for questioning.
Islamic Relief issued a cautionary statement highlighting the precarious state of community kitchens crucial for numerous families, citing a recent survey indicating a significant food deficit among households in east and west Sudan. El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, along with Kadugli in South Kordofan province, has been identified as famine-stricken regions by a global hunger monitoring entity. The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is predominantly man-made, attributable to ongoing conflict, insecurity, restricted food access, and insufficient humanitarian corridors.
Efforts are underway to establish safe humanitarian passages to facilitate aid delivery to vulnerable communities. AbdulHakim Elwaer, regional representative for Near East and North Africa, expressed optimism that a resolution could be reached by year-end to avert mass hunger-related fatalities.
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