Governor of Darfur: No True Truce Without RSF Withdrawal - A Warning for Sudan
Assalamu alaikum. Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minnawi has warned that any ceasefire that does not include the withdrawal of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would effectively mean Sudan’s fragmentation. He said a real truce must come after Janjaweed fighters and mercenaries leave homes, hospitals and cities; abductees, including women and children, are freed; and displaced families can safely return.
“Who would benefit from a truce that doesn’t protect civilians and hold the guilty to account?” Minnawi asked. “Any ceasefire without these conditions risks dividing Sudan.”
Local and international groups report that the RSF took Al Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and carried out massacres against civilians, raising fears that the assault could cement a geographic split in the country. The International Organization for Migration says over 81,000 people have fled Al Fasher and nearby areas since October 26.
The RSF has said it accepted a humanitarian truce proposed by the Quad countries - the United States, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt - but details about how the ceasefire would work have not been made public, and there was no immediate response from those countries or from the Sudanese army.
“There are still thousands of civilians trapped in Al Fasher, prevented by the RSF from leaving and facing abuse,” Sudanese Minister of Human Resources and Social Welfare Mutasim Ahmed Saleh said at a press conference in Port Sudan. He described the situation there as a humanitarian catastrophe that continues to unfold.
“We will seek justice for the blood shed in Al Fasher and across the nation,” the minister vowed, adding that after its crimes and violations the RSF is unfit to play any role in Sudan’s future.
Since April 15, 2023, fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF has continued despite regional and international attempts to mediate. The conflict has cost thousands of lives and forced millions to flee their homes.
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