United States working to secure a humanitarian truce in Sudan

The United States says it is working with both the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to secure a humanitarian truce.

This follows a sharp escalation in bloodshed in the conflict after RSF fighters captured the North Darfur region’s capital, al-Fashir, following an 18-month siege.

There have been widespread reports of atrocities committed against civilians and humanitarian aid workers in the city by the group.

The war in Sudan started in April 2023 when tensions between the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, spreading across the country.

Washington’s Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, says the US is determined to end the bloodshed.

"We came up with a comprehensive plan that has a clear roadmap. So, the timeline starts with the three-month humanitarian truce that we're talking about now, and then the nine-month process, political process,” he said.

Boulos said they are working on the first phase right now and hope to finalise it soon, adding that the humanitarian truce is a US initiative.

“So, we came up with this proposal, and we gave it to the two sides, and we're working with both sides to finalise it," he said.

The US has been working with Saudi Arabia, Egypt ,and the United Arab Emirates, calling themselves the Quad, to resolve the war.

It released a joint statement on 12 September calling for a humanitarian truce for an initial three months to deliver desperately needed aid throughout Sudan followed by a permanent ceasefire.

The reports and videos circulating of RSF and allied gunmen committing atrocities against civilians include beatings, killings, and sexual assaults, according to testimonies by civilians and aid workers.

"The atrocities that we've seen, of course, are totally unacceptable. And we put out clear statements to that effect, condemning what happened," Boulos said.

According to United Nations figures, more than 40,000 people have been killed in the longstanding war, but it is believed the true number could be many times higher.

The fighting has driven more than 14 million people from their homes and created what is believed to be the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.