RSF declares unilateral three-month humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan conflict

Civil war, which began in April 2023, has split Sudan between Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces paramilitary

Sudanese women line up for food at Al Afad camp for displaced people in Al Dabba, northern Sudan, on November 20. AFP

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces said on Monday it was declaring a unilateral three-month ceasefire, a day after its rival, the Sudanese Armed Forces, rejected an international ceasefire proposal.

"In response to international efforts, including the initiative of US President Donald Trump and the Quad mediators, we are announcing a humanitarian truce providing for a cessation of hostilities for three months," RSF commander Gen Mohamed Dagalo said in a recorded video address.

The civil war, which began in April 2023, has effectively split Sudan between the Sudanese army and the RSF.

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The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced at least 13 million. About 30 million – more than half of the population – are facing hunger, with famine declared in El Fasher and other areas of Darfur.

In his speech, Gen Dagalo said Sudan is going through “one of the most critical moments in its history”, and said stopping the bloodshed was “an urgent duty".

The Quad group – which comprises the US, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt – this month proposed a plan for a three-month truce followed by peace talks.

Before Monday's announcement, in a meeting with his top officers, Sudanese army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan had accused US envoy Massad Boulos of acting as “an obstacle to peace” and said the Quad group had become “biased” in favour of the RSF.

While he thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for Riyadh’s role in the mediation process, Gen Al Burhan claimed that the peace talks had drifted off course.

“This mediation is biased, especially the US envoy. Massad Boulos speaks to us as if he is laying down conditions, and we fear he may become an obstacle to peace,” Gen Al Burhan said.

The announcement comes amid a renewed push from the US to end the war. Last week, Mr Trump said that he would help to push for an end to the conflict after a request from Prince Mohammed.

“It was not on my charts to be involved in, I thought it was just something that was crazy and out of control," he said. "But I just see how important that is to you and to a lot of your friends in the room, Sudan, and we're going to start working in Sudan.”

In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump later said the US would work with the Quad to end the conflict.

“Tremendous atrocities are taking place in Sudan,” he wrote. “It has become the most violent place on Earth and, likewise, the single biggest humanitarian crisis.”