Pope urges ceasefire in Sudan amid 'unacceptable suffering' - a Muslim perspective
As-salamu alaykum. Pope Leo XIV has called for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan and urged that humanitarian corridors be opened to help civilians who are enduring “unacceptable suffering” from the ongoing civil war.
The conflict, now in its third year, has killed tens of thousands and displaced at least 13 million people. Around 30 million Sudanese - more than half the population - face food insecurity, with famine declared in some areas, especially in Darfur.
The recent capture of El Fasher by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has made the situation in Darfur much worse. RSF troops are accused of violent actions against civilians trying to flee, and their commander, Gen Mohamed Dagalo, has admitted “abuses” and said those responsible will be held to account.
“With great sorrow, I follow the tragic news coming from Sudan, particularly from the city of El Fasher in the afflicted northern Darfur region,” the Pope said during his Angelus address.
He condemned “indiscriminate violence against women and children, attacks on unarmed civilians, and serious obstacles to humanitarian action” that have caused “unacceptable suffering to a population already exhausted by long months of conflict.” He renewed a heartfelt plea for a ceasefire and the urgent opening of humanitarian routes.
International efforts to mediate between the RSF and the Sudanese army have struggled since the fighting began in April 2023. Sudan’s Prime Minister, Kamil Idris, who represents areas under army control, rejected the idea of foreign troops being sent, saying a UN peacekeeping force would harm Sudan’s sovereignty and create more confusion. He also criticized the international community for doing too little and called for any atrocities in El Fasher to be tried in international courts.
With El Fasher taken, the RSF now controls Darfur, a region the size of France, and has set up its own administration in Nyala. Sudan is effectively split: the RSF holds Darfur and parts of Kordofan, while the army controls Khartoum, central, eastern and northern regions. A government backed by the army sits in Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
At the heart of the conflict is a power struggle between army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and his former ally Gen Dagalo over integrating the RSF into the national armed forces - a dispute that erupted into open fighting last year.
This war raises the fear of Sudan being further broken apart, similar to what happened when South Sudan became independent in 2011.
May Allah grant relief to the suffering people of Sudan, protect the innocent, and guide leaders toward justice and peace. Ameen.
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