Yet another ceasefire commitment in Sudan. This time mediated by the United States and after two days of dialogue with the two opposing parties, the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (FAR) paramilitary group, as announced yesterday by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. Washington’s mediation gives some hope that the 72-hour cessation of hostilities, in force since Monday midnight (local time), will be fulfilled after the last truce attempts in the ten days of armed conflict failed.
The announcement by the head of US diplomacy was intended to lead to talks on a permanent cessation of hostilities. Blinken said the United States will coordinate with its regional allies to “support the creation of a committee to oversee the negotiation to implement a permanent cessation of hostilities” in Sudan. In addition, he reiterated Washington’s commitment for the African country to once again have a civilian government.
The Sudanese conflict had a three-day truce last weekend for the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which reduced the intensity of the violence, although there were some attacks. In any case, the stoppage allowed the evacuation of tens of thousands of foreigners, although fighting and shelling between the Sudanese Army and the FAR resumed on Monday.
Dozens of countries have withdrawn their diplomatic personnel in Sudan in recent days, including the United States, which also deployed two military ships in the Red Sea on Monday to evacuate US citizens who wish to leave the Arab country. But many still have to repatriate thousands of their citizens, an operation they had to stop due to violence in the country, which has killed at least 427 people and injured more than 3,700, according to UN agencies.
The new ceasefire commitment allowed the British government to start the large-scale evacuation of its citizens (4,000 Britons are in the country, according to London). British military planes will depart from an airfield outside Khartoum and will be open to British passport holders. India, Thailand or Japan have also begun or terminated evacuation missions, while France, Spain, Germany, Kenya or Italy, among others, have chartered their nationals or citizens of other countries on military planes from Khartoum or Djibouti airports. . Other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan or Egypt have explored the sea route, which requires land transport to reach the city of Port Sudan, 800 km by road north from the capital, and where the ships leave.
The fighting that began on April 15 between the Sudanese Army and the FAR arose after weeks of tension over a reform of the security forces in negotiations to form a new transitional government. Both forces were the architects of the coup that overthrew the interim Executive of Sudan in October 2021.
At a press conference this Monday, Blinken denounced the presence in Sudan of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, while his Kenyan counterpart, Alfred Mutua, called on Russia and Middle Eastern nations to support peace and not get involved in the conflict.
