Sudan’s RSF accepts US-backed truce to end fighting
The truce comes just days after RSF captured El-Fasher, ending an 18-month siege that devastated countless civilian lives.
Cairo: The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group locked in a brutal conflict with Sudan’s military for over two years, announced on Thursday, November 6, that it has The development marks a potential turning point in one of Africa’s deadliest ongoing wars, which has left millions displaced and the nation’s infrastructure in ruins.
The agreement comes just over a week after the RSF captured the city of El-Fasher, the last major stronghold of Sudan’s national army in the western Darfur region. El-Fasher had been under siege for more than 18 months, enduring relentless fighting, food shortages, and the collapse of essential services. Its fall to the RSF not only underscored the group’s growing territorial control but also intensified calls from the international community for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further civilian suffering.
Guiding the political process in Sudan, in a manner that addresses the root causes of the conflicts and ends the suffering of the Sudanese people.” The group emphasized its commitment to a long-term peace process, framing the truce as the first step toward a broader political resolution.
However, skepticism remains high. A senior Sudanese military official told The Associated Press that while the army welcomes the Quad’s proposal, it will not commit to a ceasefire unless the RSF fully withdraws from civilian areas and disarms in line with earlier peace frameworks. “We support any effort to end the bloodshed,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter freely. “But we cannot consider peace while our cities are still occupied and civilians remain under threat.”
The Quad — comprising the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — has been working intensively behind the scenes to broker a truce between the warring parties. U.S. officials say the humanitarian ceasefire aims to allow critical aid deliveries, reopen hospitals, and create safe corridors for civilians trapped in conflict zones.
“We urge both sides to move forward in response to the U.S.-led effort to conclude a humanitarian truce,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement. “Given the immediate urgency of de-escalating the violence and ending the suffering of the Sudanese people, this agreement must be implemented without delay.”
The war between the RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (commonly known as Hemedti), and Sudan’s national army, commanded by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, erupted in April 2023 following months of political tension. Both men had once shared power after the 2019 ouster of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir, but their fragile alliance crumbled over disagreements about military restructuring and the transition to civilian rule.
Since then, the conflict has spiraled into a humanitarian catastrophe. Entire neighborhoods in Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan have been reduced to rubble. Human rights groups have accused both sides of atrocities, including indiscriminate shelling, mass displacement, and attacks on hospitals. According to the United Nations, more than 9 million people have been forced to flee their homes, and over 25 million now require urgent humanitarian aid — the largest displacement crisis in the world today.
Analysts say the RSF’s acceptance of the truce could be a strategic move to ease mounting international pressure while consolidating its recent territorial gains. The Sudanese army, meanwhile, faces growing isolation as supply lines weaken and international patience wears thin.
For millions of Sudanese civilians, however, the hope is simple — that this fragile truce might bring even a temporary pause to the relentless violence that has upended their lives. “People are exhausted,” said a humanitarian worker based in Port Sudan. What Sudan needs most right now is silence — the silence of peace.”
If both sides honor the agreement, humanitarian agencies say they could finally resume large-scale relief operations, including the delivery of food, medical supplies, and shelter materials to those trapped by fighting. For now, cautious optimism prevails — a glimmer of hope amid two years of chaos.
As one Western diplomat put it, “This truce, however fragile, may be Sudan’s best chance in years to step back from the brink. But it will only hold if both generals decide that peace is worth more than power.”