Sudan Conflict May Ease After RSF Accepts Humanitarian Proposal
Humanitarian truce could ease Sudan crisis, save millions.
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced Thursday that they have agreed to a humanitarian truce proposed by a US-led mediator group known as the Quad, which also includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE. The move comes more than a week after the RSF captured el-Fasher city, the last Sudanese military stronghold in western Darfur, bringing the two-year war to a particularly devastating phase. The truce is intended to halt violence temporarily while opening the door to negotiations on the political process in Sudan.
The RSF emphasized that it looks forward to implementing the agreement immediately and beginning talks on the cessation of hostilities, aiming to address the root causes of the conflict and end the suffering of millions of civilians. A Sudanese military official welcomed the proposal but stressed that a formal truce will only be confirmed once the RSF fully withdraws from civilian areas and relinquishes its weapons, as stipulated in prior peace agreements.
The ongoing war between the RSF and Sudanese army, which began in 2023, has already claimed at least 40,000 lives and displaced around 12 million people, though aid groups warn that the real toll may be far higher. More than 24 million people are facing acute food insecurity, and famine has been declared in parts of Darfur and South Kordofan, leaving humanitarian agencies racing to provide life-saving aid. Community kitchens and aid distribution centers are at risk of collapse amid the fighting.
Also Read: UN-Backed Report Confirms Severe Famine in War-Torn Sudanese Cities
Harrowing accounts from survivors highlight the desperate conditions in el-Fasher. Many fled on foot for days, enduring extreme hunger, dehydration, and violence, with some seeking refuge at Al-Affad displacement camp hundreds of kilometers away. Witnesses described drone strikes, artillery bombardments, and people collapsing from exhaustion along escape routes. Aid groups like the Norwegian Refugee Council report that some displaced people arrived too weak to speak or walk, underscoring the urgency of humanitarian access.
US officials, including African affairs adviser Massad Boulos, said the plan involves an initial three-month truce, followed by a nine-month political process aimed at stabilizing Sudan. While negotiations continue, humanitarian organizations stress the importance of immediate corridors to deliver food and medical aid to millions trapped in conflict zones. The success of the truce could determine whether Sudan avoids further catastrophe and begins a path toward political resolution.
Also Read: RSF Drone Strike Kills 30 at Shelter in Sudan’s El-Fasher, City Trapped in Crisis
