Sudanese military leader General Yasser al-Atta announced on Sunday that there would be no ceasefire in Sudan during the holy month of Ramadan unless the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) vacates civilian homes and sites. This statement comes in response to the United Nations Security Council’s call for a Ramadan truce, which the RSF expressed willingness to embrace.
Issued on the army’s official Telegram channel, the statement highlighted recent army advancements in Omdurman, a part of Sudan’s capital. Al-Atta insisted that a Ramadan ceasefire hinged on the RSF adhering to a commitment made in May of the previous year, involving withdrawal from civilian residences and public facilities as agreed upon in talks mediated by Saudi Arabia and the U.S. in Jeddah.
The statement also emphasized the exclusion of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo from Sudan’s future politics or military.
The conflict between Sudan’s army and the RSF began in mid-April 2023 due to tensions surrounding a transition plan to civilian rule.
The warring factions had staged a coup in 2021, derailing a previous transition initiated after the 2019 overthrow of former leader Omar al-Bashir.
Throughout the conflict, the army has faced military challenges, with the RSF initially occupying significant portions of the capital. The United Nations reports that nearly 25 million people, half of Sudan’s population, require aid, while 8 million have been displaced, and hunger is on the rise. Washington alleges war crimes committed by the conflicting parties.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also urged a Ramadan truce. Sudan’s U.N. ambassador conveyed that the head of the army and ruling council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, acknowledged Guterres’ appeal but questioned its implementation.
Sudan’s foreign ministry, aligned with the armed forces, outlined conditions for a successful ceasefire appeal, including the RSF’s withdrawal from specific areas in Darfur, El Gezira, and Sennar states.
