Khaberni - In a speech directed by the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), to the Sudanese people on Monday, the forces announced their immediate agreement to a humanitarian ceasefire lasting three months.
The Rapid Support ceasefire came in response to an initiative by U.S. President Donald Trump and the efforts of the Quartet, consisting of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the United States, and the United Kingdom, in addition to the IGAD mechanism and the African Union.
The statement described the historic moment as one of "the most delicate moments" requiring responsibility and courage from everyone, stating that the war has exhausted the people and that stopping the bloodshed has become an urgent duty.
The Rapid Support statement outlined six main pillars, including the immediate declaration of a humanitarian ceasefire for three months that encompasses a halt to all hostilities, aiming to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, with a call for the Quartet nations to press the Sudanese army to accept the ceasefire.
It also pledged full commitment to facilitating humanitarian efforts by securing the movement of workers, ensuring unhindered access to aid, protecting the premises and stores of organizations, facilitating the work of medical teams, and cooperating with the United Nations.
The statement also included approval of the establishment of a field monitoring mechanism supervised by the Quartet and IGAD to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire and the delivery of aid, and affirmed accountability for anyone proven to be involved in violations against civilians, with the results of investigations to be announced transparently according to national and international laws.
The Rapid Support statement linked the ceasefire to a comprehensive and fair political process that excludes what it described as the "terrorist Islamic movement" and the National Congress, considering them "responsible for the tragedies of three decades".
The statement also included a call for the international community to support the ceasefire, participate in monitoring, foster trust-building, support comprehensive political dialogue, and provide urgent humanitarian aid, concluding by affirming that the Rapid Support Forces "come from the people and are with the people" and are committed to the path of peace until the war ends.
According to experts, the statement constitutes a significant embarrassment for the commander of the Port Sudan forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, as the Rapid Support's unilateral declaration of the ceasefire with clear and reasonable terms puts him in a very awkward position before the international community and domestic public opinion.
The Rapid Support initiative statement coincided with Burhan's "enraged" speech on Monday in response to Trump's initiative, in which he insisted on slogans like "no negotiations and no partnership," which, according to experts, means that Burhan will find himself forced to reject a humanitarian initiative supported directly by the U.S. and broadly regionally.
