Egypt's Foreign Minister engages with Sudan's military leader in Port Sudan

Egypt's top diplomat met with Sudan's military leader Tuesday in a renewed push to advance a ceasefire plan, as the war-torn nation faces a catastrophic humanitarian situation following the paramilitary capture of a key Darfur city.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan in Port Sudan, reiterating Cairo's condemnation of atrocities in el-Fasher and stressing the "need to commit to the peace plan" announced in September by a quartet including the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The proposed plan envisions a three-month humanitarian truce followed by a nine-month political process to resolve the conflict that has killed at least 40,000 people and displaced 12 million.

Warring parties show diverging responses

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) stated Thursday it has agreed to the humanitarian truce, while the Sudanese army responded it would only accept the proposal if the RSF withdraws from civilian areas and surrenders its weapons.

The conflicting conditions highlight the challenges facing mediators seeking to bridge the gap between the former allies, whose power struggle erupted into full-scale war in 2023 after initially collaborating on a democratic transition.

El-Fasher capture sparks mass exodus

The diplomatic efforts come amid a worsening crisis in North Darfur, where the RSF's recent capture of el-Fasher forced nearly 90,000 people to flee through unsafe routes without access to food, water or medical assistance, according to the UN migration agency.

Aid groups and UN officials report hundreds dead and widespread atrocities committed by the paramilitary force, creating one of the most severe humanitarian emergencies in the ongoing conflict that shows no signs of abating.