The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said Thursday it has agreed to a humanitarian truce proposed by a U.S.-led mediation group, as fighting across Sudan continues to fuel one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The announcement follows the RSF’s capture of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, in late October after an 18-month siege that left tens of thousands dead or displaced.
In a video statement, RSF spokesperson Al-Fateh Qurashi Bashir said the group accepted the truce “in response to the aspirations and interests of the Sudanese people.”
“The Rapid Support Forces affirm their agreement to enter the humanitarian truce proposed by the Quartet countries — the United States of America, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Arab Republic of Egypt,” Bashir said. “This agreement aims to address the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the war and to enhance the protection of civilians.”
The proposed deal would allow immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to affected regions, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan, where millions face famine and displacement.
However, the Sudanese army has not yet agreed to the proposal. In a statement, the military said it would only accept a truce if the RSF withdraws from civilian areas and lays down its weapons — conditions the RSF has so far rejected.
International observers say the truce, if implemented, could mark a rare breakthrough in a conflict that has shattered Sudan’s fragile transition and left nearly 10 million people displaced since April 2023.
