Sudan’s warring generals have consented a temporary ceasefire, as conflict between two rival groups enters its sixth week. Previously, attempted truces between Sudan’s regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have usually collapsed within minutes of commencement.
The new agreement, however, would be implemented by a “ceasefire monitoring mechanism,” the joint US-Saudi statement, revealed. Sudanese authorities have promised to restore basic services as part of the seven-day temporary ceasefire.
The Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces agreed to a seven-day truce in the Saudi port city of Jeddah, which is set to go into effect on Monday at 9:45 p.m. local time in Sudan, and would be carefully monitored by the United States and Saudi Arabia. If both parties adhere to the truce, the partial agreement could be renewed and prolonged.
“Both parties have conveyed to the Saudi and US facilitators, their commitment not to seek military advantage during the 48-hour notification period after signing agreement and prior to the start of the ceasefire,” the statement stated.
“It is well known that the parties have previously announced ceasefires that have not been observed,” the U.S.-Saudi statement said. “Unlike previous ceasefires, the Agreement reached in Jeddah was signed by the parties and will be supported by a U.S.-Saudi and international-supported ceasefire monitoring mechanism.”
Moreover, the Monitoring and Coordination Committee would constitute three delegates from the United States and Saudi Arabia, as well as three officials from the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces.
Previously, the two sides reached an accord in Jeddah to safeguard civilians and ease the passage of humanitarian aid to people affected by the conflict. However, the cease-fire agreements failed, with both side accusing each other of violating the terms of the agreement.
However, fighting between the two factions has thrown the country into disarray since the conflict began in April, with more than a million people dislocated. Food, money, and basics have rapidly depleted, and relief organizations have often lamented of difficulties to give suitable support in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, where much of the conflict have occurred.
Both the regular army and the RSF have been ordered to facilitate emergency assistance delivery, restore vital services, and withdraw troops from hospitals.
The Secretary of State of the United State, Antony Blinken stated that, “It is past time to silence the guns, and allow unhindered humanitarian access.” “I implore both sides to uphold this agreement – the eyes of the world are watching,” he added.
Breach Of The Accord
However, the head of UN Aid Assistance, Martin Griffiths disclosed that, there had been “important and egregious” breaches of that accord, which he added fell short of a truce. In southern Omdurman and northern Bahri, stories of attacks continue to pour in from around the country, with strikes reported by eyewitnesses.
The conflict broke out in Khartoum on 15 April, after days of tension between the warring factions, as the RSF reassigned its forces across the country, which the army perceived as a danger. There has been a power battle between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, leader of the Sudanese Army, and his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, of the Rapid Support Forces, since the ousting of the former President Bashir al-Assad.
Hundreds of people have been murdered in the violence, and the UN has warned of a deteriorating scenario in Africa’s third-biggest country, where a big number of people were already reliant on aid before the crisis.
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