U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Monday that two generals in Sudan, whose military conflict plunged their country into a humanitarian crisis, agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire.
The latest announced ceasefire comes nearly a week after armed forces chief Abdel-Fattah Burhan and head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo entered into unprecedented combat for control of Sudan and its population of more than 46 million people.
A previous, 24-hour truce fell apart almost immediately this past Wednesday.
The two generals had just 18 months ago jointly brokered a military coup to derail Sudan’s transition to democracy. More recent international pressure had driven Burhan and Hamdan to agree to a framework deal with political parties and pro-democracy groups. But the signing was repeatedly delayed as tensions rose over integrating the RSF into Sudan’s official armed forces and the future chain of command.
Hundreds have been killed and thousands wounded in the combat so far. The ensuing humanitarian crises have “paralyzed” citizens of Sudan who have been left without food, water or electricity across the country.
Several nations, including the United States, have evacuated their diplomatic personnel. The U.S. is further seeking ways to help some 16,000 U.S. citizens who do not work for the government—mostly dual-national aid workers—to escape Sudan if they so choose.
“The United States urges the Sudanese military and RSF to immediately and fully uphold the ceasefire…We will continue to work with the Sudanese parties and our partners toward the shared goal of a return to civilian government in Sudan,” Blinken said in his Monday statement.
Dagalo’s RSF said in a tweet that it agreed to the ceasefire plan in order to open humanitarian corridors and allow civilians to reach hospitals and get food, as well as to further allow evacuation of foreign diplomats.
Burhan’s military forces did not immediately respond to Blinken’s announcement.
PHOTO: Sudanese Generals, Dagalo (right) Source: Government.ru
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