The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has agreed to participate in US-mediated ceasefire talks aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The announcement came from RSF leader Mohammed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, who confirmed the group’s readiness to attend the discussions set for August 14 in Switzerland.
“I welcome the invitation announced by Mr. @SecBlinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, and I declare our participation in the upcoming ceasefire talks on August 14, 2024, in Switzerland.
“We reaffirm our firm stance … which is the insistence on saving lives, stopping the fighting, and paving the way for a peaceful, negotiated political solution that restores the country to civilian rule and the path of democratic transition,” the paramilitary head said in a post on X.
The United States, alongside Saudi Arabia, will host the talks. The African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Nations will be present as observers. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that the objective of the talks is to achieve a nationwide cessation of violence, ensure humanitarian access, and establish a robust monitoring mechanism.
While Dagalo has welcomed the invitation and expressed hope for a peaceful resolution, Sudan’s army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has not yet responded to the invitation.
The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army has been ongoing since April 2023. This has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of nearly 10 million people. Efforts to end the conflict have seen little success so far, with previous talks in Saudi Arabia producing only temporary truces that were quickly violated. As the August 14 talks approach, updates to the situation will be reported.
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