Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces agreed to a proposal from the United States and Arab powers for a humanitarian ceasefire and is open to talks on a cessation of hostilities, it said on Thursday in a statement.
Both the RSF and the Sudanese army have agreed to various ceasefire proposals during their two-and-a-half-year-old war, though none have succeeded. US President Donald Trump’s administration has said it was working towards ending fighting in Sudan.
The announcement, which the Sudanese army did not immediately respond to, comes less than two weeks after the RSF took over the famine-stricken city of Al-Fasher, consolidating its control over the vast, western region of Darfur.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have expressed their eagerness to implement the recently reached agreement and to swiftly begin discussions about the terms for halting hostilities and laying down the core principles for Sudan’s political process, according to a statement released by the group.
Earlier this week, the army-led Security and Defense Council met but did not give a definitive answer to the proposal, though influential leaders and allies within the army have expressed their disapproval.
A US State Department spokesperson on Thursday said the United States continued to engage directly with the parties to facilitate a humanitarian truce.
The spokesperson urged both parties to act promptly in accordance with the U.S.-led initiative aimed at establishing a humanitarian truce. This effort is seen as crucial in reducing violence and alleviating the suffering endured by the Sudanese population.
The United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt called in September for a three-month humanitarian truce in Sudan to be followed by a permanent ceasefire.
Witnesses say the RSF killed and abducted civilians during and after its capture of Al-Fasher, including in summary executions, leading to international concern.
Its leader called on fighters to protect civilians and said violations would be prosecuted.
The war between the Sudanese army and the RSF erupted in April 2023 when the two forces, then partners in power, clashed over plans to integrate their forces.
The conflict has devastated Sudan, killing tens of thousands of people, causing hunger to spread across the country and displacing millions of people.
