CAIRO: The head of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces said late on Monday that his paramilitaries would immediately enter into a three-month humanitarian truce, after US President Donald Trump said last week that he would intervene to seek an end to a war that has plunged the country into famine.
The United States, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia — known as the Quad — earlier this month proposed a plan for a three-month truce followed by peace talks.
The RSF responded by saying it had accepted the plan, but soon after attacked army territory with a barrage of drone strikes.
Monday’s statement appeared to announce a unilateral ceasefire. It came a day after Sudan’s army chief rejected the Quad’s proposals.
“In response to international efforts, chiefly that of His Excellency US President Donald Trump ... I announce a humanitarian ceasefire including a cessation of hostilities for three months,” General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of the RSF said in a speech on Monday.
“We hope the Quad countries will play their role in pushing the other side to engage with this step,” he added.
His comments come at a time when the RSF has come under fire for brutal attacks on civilians in the aftermath of its takeover of the city of Al-Fashir in late October.
That takeover cemented its control of the Darfur region, and the force has subsequently stepped up attacks on the Kordofan region in a bid to take control of the country.
Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, in his speech on Sunday accused the US proposal of aiming to weaken the Sudanese army while allowing the RSF to maintain the territory it has seized.
“No one in Sudan will accept the presence of these rebels or for them to be part of any solution in the future,” Burhan said.
He also denied what he said were US accusations of Islamist influence in his government.”
In his rejection of the US Peace Plan for Sudan, and his repeated refusal to accept a ceasefire, he demonstrates consistently obstructive behavior,” Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE’s minister of state for international cooperation, said in a statement on Monday.
The war in Sudan, which broke out in April 2023 over disagreements on integrating the two groups, in addition to plunging Sudan into famine, has killed tens of thousands of civilians, particularly in ethnically-based bloodshed.
The RSF has been accused of genocide, and both Dagalo and Burhan have been sanctioned by the United States.
Sudan’s RSF paramilitary says it will enter into ceasefire
https://arab.news/9yn53
Sudan’s RSF paramilitary says it will enter into ceasefire
- Monday’s statement appeared to announce a unilateral ceasefire
- It came a day after Sudan’s army chief rejected the Quad’s proposals
Several US warplanes crashed, crew survived: Kuwait defense ministry
- Three US warplanes were mistakenly shot down by Kuwait air defence: CENTCOM
KUWAIT: Several American warplanes crashed in Kuwait on Monday morning but their crew survived, Kuwait’s defense ministry said, as Iran pressed on with a third day of strikes in the Gulf.
“Several US warplanes crashed this morning. Confirming that all crew members survived,” a defense ministry spokesman said in a statement, adding that the cause was under investigation.
“Authorities immediately initiated search and rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transporting them to a hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. He noted that their condition is stable,” the statement added.
The US military said on Monday that Kuwaiti air defences mistakenly shot down three US F15 fighter jets flying in Iran-related operations. It confirmed that all six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition.
