A Sudanese paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has announced its endorsement of a resolution by the U.N. Security Council calling for a cease-fire during the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The RSF expressed hope that this resolution, adopted on Friday, would facilitate the delivery of crucial humanitarian aid to millions of Sudanese civilians affected by the ongoing conflict in the Northeastern African country.
The RSF sees this initiative as a significant opportunity for the conflicting parties to engage in negotiations aimed at achieving a political settlement to the crisis. The group emphasized the importance of establishing a durable ceasefire, enhancing security and stability, and addressing the underlying issues contributing to the historical crisis in Sudan.
Sudan's military has also backed a call by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a Ramadan cease-fire, highlighting the urgent need to prevent further escalation of the conflict, which poses a threat to Sudan's unity and regional stability.
The conflict in Sudan erupted in April last year, following clashes between the military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the RSF paramilitary forces under Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. The violence initially erupted in Khartoum during Ramadan last year and subsequently spread to other parts of the country, resulting in significant casualties and displacement of civilians.
The U.N. Security Council, with overwhelming support, passed a resolution expressing deep concern over the escalating violence and the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan, particularly in the Darfur region. The conflict has led to acute food insecurity, with millions of Sudanese facing hunger and starvation.
The World Food Program has warned of a looming hunger crisis, with an estimated 18 million people in Sudan at risk of acute hunger, including 5 million facing starvation. The conflict has forced over 10 million people to flee their homes, seeking refuge either within Sudan or in neighboring countries like South Sudan.
The RSF's endorsement of the cease-fire resolution signals a potential turning point in efforts to address the crisis in Sudan and provide much-needed relief to the affected population during the holy month of Ramadan.
