Khartoum: The United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt have made a collective appeal for a three-month humanitarian truce in Sudan, proposing a subsequent permanent ceasefire and a nine-month transition towards civilian governance.
According to Nam News Network, the appeal was made through a joint statement issued by the US State Department, emphasizing the necessity for the transition to align with the aspirations of the Sudanese populace, aiming to establish an independent, civilian-led government with widespread legitimacy and accountability. Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in conflict between its national army, which holds control over most state institutions, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Egypt, playing a pivotal role as an ally of Sudan’s regular army, has consistently advocated for the safeguarding of state institutions. Conversely, the UAE has faced widespread accusations, including from UN reports, of supplying arms to the RSF, allegations that it has denied. Diplomatic sources revealed that Cairo had previously objected to language barring both the army and the RSF from participating in the transition.
The final statement represents a compromise, avoiding direct reference to either faction while asserting that Sudan’s future government should be determined by its citizens. It also explicitly excludes the involvement of violent extremist groups associated with the Muslim Brotherhood in the transition process.
On Friday, the United States imposed sanctions on Sudan’s army-aligned finance minister, Gebreil Ibrahim, a prominent Islamist figure, and the Baraa Ibn-Malik Brigade, an Islamist militia allied with the army. Islamists, who held sway in Sudanese politics for three decades under ousted president Omar al-Bashir, have resurfaced during the ongoing conflict, aligning with the army.
The US Treasury Department stated that these sanctions are intended to curtail Islamist influence within Sudan and limit Iran’s regional activities, which have contributed to regional instability, conflict, and civilian suffering. Despite international efforts to broker peace, the willingness of the warring factions to engage remains uncertain.
In June, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a one-week ceasefire in North Darfur’s capital, El-Fasher. Although the army agreed to the pause, the RSF rejected it. Both factions have consistently pledged to continue fighting until achieving outright military victory.
Currently, the army controls Sudan’s east, north, and center, while the RSF holds parts of the south and nearly all of the western Darfur region, where it recently declared a parallel government, raising fears of the country’s potential fragmentation.