Darfur: Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minnawi said Saturday that any truce that does not include the withdrawal of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would mean Sudan's division.
According to Anadolu Agency, Minnawi emphasized that a truce must be contingent upon the withdrawal of the Janjaweed and mercenaries from residential areas, hospitals, and cities. He also called for the release of abductees, including children and women, and the safe return of displaced civilians. Minnawi questioned the utility of a truce that fails to protect civilians and hold perpetrators accountable, asserting that any truce lacking these conditions would result in Sudan's division.
The RSF has captured El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and has been accused of committing massacres of civilians by local and international organizations. These actions have raised concerns about the potential geographical partitioning of the country.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 81,000 people have fled El-Fasher and surrounding areas since October 26. On Thursday, the RSF announced its agreement to a humanitarian truce in Sudan proposed by the Quad countries-the US, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt-though details of the ceasefire's implementation remain undisclosed. There has been no immediate response from the Quad or the Sudanese army regarding the truce.
Sudanese Minister of Human Resources and Social Welfare Mutasim Ahmed Saleh, during a press conference in Port Sudan, highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in El-Fasher. He described it as a 'humanitarian catastrophe that shakes the conscience,' noting that the crisis is ongoing. Saleh vowed that Sudan would seek justice for the bloodshed in El-Fasher and across the country, declaring that the RSF, after committing crimes and violations against the Sudanese people, is unfit to play any role in the nation's future.
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF has persisted since April 15, 2023. Despite regional and international mediation efforts, the war continues, resulting in the deaths of thousands and the displacement of millions.