The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have announced their acceptance of a proposed humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan, following more than two years of conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The agreement was facilitated by the United States, which is part of a US-led “quad” mediator group comprising Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement released on Thursday, the RSF expressed its willingness to implement the ceasefire to address the severe humanitarian consequences of the war and to improve the protection of civilians. However, no immediate response has been issued from the Sudanese military.
Earlier this week, Massad Boulos, the U.S. senior adviser for Arab and African affairs, stated that efforts were underway to reach a truce, noting that both sides had “agreed in principle.” He added that while no initial objections had been recorded, the focus was now on finalizing the details of the agreement.
Al Jazeera correspondent Hiba Morgan reported from Khartoum that the proposed plan would begin with a three-month humanitarian truce, potentially leading to a long-term political solution, including the formation of a new civilian government. According to Morgan, the RSF expressed eagerness to end the two-year conflict, though the SAF has consistently maintained its stance of continuing the fight.
Morgan noted that SAF officials do not believe members of the RSF can be reintegrated into Sudanese society. Additionally, the SAF has previously criticized the UAE’s involvement in truce discussions and has demanded the RSF withdraw from cities it occupies.
“The humanitarian access the ceasefire would bring about is desperately needed, but the Sudanese army is yet to agree to it,” Morgan reported. “It doesn’t look like the RSF will meet them.”
Earlier on Thursday, SAF commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan stated his forces were “striving for the defeat of the enemy” and vowed to avenge those killed and abused in areas attacked by rebels.
The announcement comes amid ongoing accusations against the RSF for committing mass killings since seizing the city of el-Fasher in North Darfur on October 26, following an 18-month siege. The RSF now controls much of western Darfur and parts of southern Sudan, while the SAF holds the north, east, and central regions along the Nile and Red Sea.
According to the United Nations, over 70,000 people have fled el-Fasher and surrounding areas since the RSF’s takeover. Witnesses and human rights groups have reported cases of “summary executions,” sexual violence, and mass killings of civilians. The World Health Organization has also documented the “tragic killing of more than 460 patients and medical staff” at a former children’s hospital during the city’s takeover.
New satellite imagery analyzed by researchers at Yale University has revealed signs consistent with mass graves in el-Fasher. The university’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) report identified at least two earth disturbances matching the pattern of mass graves at a mosque and the former Children’s Hospital. The study also noted the presence of long trenches and the disappearance of object clusters near the hospital and other locations, suggesting that bodies may have been moved.
“Body disposal or removal was also observed at Al-Saudi Hospital in satellite imagery,” the report stated.
The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, pits the SAF against the RSF, led by former deputy of al-Burhan, Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, known as Hemedti. Both sides have been accused of war crimes. A September report by the UN Human Rights Council found evidence of extrajudicial killings, large-scale attacks on civilians, and torture by both parties. It also highlighted a significant volume of evidence regarding sexual violence, primarily attributed to RSF and SAF members.
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