The United States has offered a ceasefire proposal to the conflicting parties in Sudan, but formal acceptance has not been received from either side, according to U.S. envoy Massad Boulos. Boulos mentioned that although the content of the U.S.-proposed plan was not objected to, the Sudanese army presented “preconditions” that were deemed unattainable.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the army’s adversary in the conflict, unilaterally declared a halt to hostilities in alignment with U.S. desires. However, the army reported thwarting an attack on a base in Babanusa, located in West Kordofan state, the latest battleground in the conflict. President Donald Trump had stated his intention to intervene in the conflict between the army and the RSF, which originated in April 2023 due to a power struggle, leading to famine, ethnic violence, and mass displacement.
Previous efforts by the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have not yielded results. The group submitted a proposal to the two factions in September.
Boulos, Trump’s adviser for African and Arab affairs, revealed that neither the Sudanese army nor the RSF had formally accepted the truce proposal put forward by the U.S. He noted that the recent plan was based on the September proposal.
Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan criticized the latest U.S. proposal as the most unfavorable he had seen, alleging that it marginalized the army and conferred legitimacy on the RSF. Boulos, speaking alongside Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the U.A.E. president, refuted Burhan’s criticisms, citing misinformation.
The Sudanese army has previously opposed U.A.E.’s involvement in peace talks and insisted on a ceasefire only after the RSF withdraws its forces from civilian areas. The U.A.E. has been accused of supplying arms to the RSF, a claim it has denied. Gargash emphasized that his country remained committed to peace despite alleged misinformation campaigns.
Gargash also emphasized that Sudan’s future should not be influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood or similar groups, alluding to Islamist influences in the Sudanese army, which Burhan has denied. Boulos hinted that if the U.S. designates the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, affiliated groups in the region could face scrutiny.
RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo announced a unilateral ceasefire under international pressure following brutal attacks on civilians by his forces. It remained uncertain if the ceasefire was upheld.
Boulos expressed appreciation for the RSF’s announcement and hoped for its compliance. He urged an end to external financial and military support to the conflicting parties without specifying countries.
Khalid Aleisir, a spokesperson for Sudan’s government led by the army, dismissed the RSF’s ceasefire announcement as a political tactic to divert attention from their alleged atrocities. The RSF maintained that reports of atrocities were exaggerated and promised accountability for any wrongdoing.