KHARTOUM, Sudan – Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has agreed to a US proposal for a humanitarian ceasefire, raising cautious hopes of a pause in the country’s devastating civil war.
The announcement came just days after the RSF captured El-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur still held by Sudan’s army, following an 18-month siege that blocked aid and triggered famine conditions confirmed by a UN-backed hunger monitor.
In a statement on Thursday, the RSF said it had accepted the truce “to address the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the war” and allow the urgent delivery of food and medical aid.
The ceasefire plan was initially proposed in September by the United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, calling for a three-month truce leading to a permanent ceasefire and a transition to civilian rule.
Sudan’s military-led government has not yet responded to the latest RSF announcement.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Hassan Kabroun thanked the US for its peace efforts but insisted the army’s preparations for battle against the RSF were ongoing, calling them a “legitimate national right.”
Sudan’s chargé d’affaires in Nairobi, Mohamed Osman Akasha, told the BBC that the government would only agree to a truce if the RSF was dismantled, disarmed, and its leaders held accountable for alleged war crimes.
“The only thing that I know is the government of Sudan, the people of Sudan are very determined to defeat this militia,” he said.
The RSF has faced international condemnation over reports of mass killings during its advance in Darfur, which it denies.
However, the group recently admitted “violations” by individual fighters and announced arrests following the fall of El-Fasher.
The conflict between the RSF and Sudan’s army erupted in April 2023, plunging the country into chaos and creating what the UN calls the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
More than 24 million people now face acute food shortages, while over 60,000 people have fled El-Fasher alone, according to the UN refugee agency.
Aid organisations warn that Sudan’s fragile humanitarian network is collapsing. A report by Islamic Relief said community-run kitchens feeding millions are on the brink of closure due to exhaustion, shortages and lack of support.
The UN Human Rights Council has scheduled an urgent session on November 14 to address alleged atrocities in El-Fasher, where survivors have described “unimaginable suffering” and public executions.
As the RSF expresses willingness for talks “to address the root causes of the conflict,” international observers remain cautious. Previous ceasefires in Sudan’s war have all collapsed within days.
