Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti” said on Monday he has agreed to a three-month humanitarian truce, pledging to halt offensive operations and open access for aid across war-hit areas of the country.
In a video address, Hemedti, who also heads the RSF-aligned Sudan Founding Alliance (“TASIS”), said the move was a response to international mediation, “foremost” the initiative launched by U.S. President Donald Trump, and to a roadmap put forward by the so-called Quad – the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt – that envisages an initial three-month humanitarian truce leading to a permanent ceasefire and a broader political transition.
General al-Burhan’s army (SAF) has rejected the Quad plan. In comments released on Sunday, SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dismissed the proposal as ignoring the military government’s concerns and accused mediators of trying to “eliminate” the armed forces while preserving the RSF, remarks that underscored deep resistance within the Port Sudan-based camp to any settlement seen as legitimising its rival.
Dagalo said the RSF and its allies would “cease military operations during the truce period in order to protect civilians and improve humanitarian conditions,” and pledged to facilitate the work of relief agencies by ensuring safe passage for aid workers and unimpeded delivery of assistance to all affected areas, as well as securing UN and NGO compounds and warehouses.
He also announced support for the creation of a field-based monitoring mechanism for the humanitarian truce, to be overseen by the Quad states together with the African Union and the regional bloc IGAD, tasked with supervising implementation and the safe flow of aid to those in need.
The RSF leader stressed what he described as a “full commitment” to hold to account anyone proven to have committed abuses against civilians, regardless of rank or affiliation, and framed the three-month pause as a first step toward ending hostilities and reaching a comprehensive political settlement of Sudan’s crisis.
Dagalo said any future political process should be inclusive of all Sudanese actors “except” the Islamist movement and the former ruling National Congress Party and its front organisations, signalling continued resistance from the RSF-TASIS camp to restoring figures associated with the ousted Bashir regime to national politics.
