WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Sudanese armed forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to observe a nationwide ceasefire for 72 hours starting at midnight, reported German news agency (dpa).
The US government urged both sides to comply fully with this agreement, Blinken said in a statement.
Similar announcements have been made since the outbreak of fighting but were not observed.
“To support a durable end to the fighting, the United States will coordinate with regional and international partners, and Sudanese civilian stakeholders, to assist in the creation of a committee to oversee the negotiation, conclusion, and implementation of a permanent cessation of hostilities and humanitarian arrangements in Sudan,” Blinken said.
“We will continue to work with the Sudanese parties and our partners toward the shared goal of a return to civilian government in Sudan.”
The announcement comes after days of heavy fighting in Sudan between the country's most powerful generals. Hundreds of people have died in the clashes that began more than a week ago in an escalation of the power struggle between de facto president Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the powerful RSF. – Bernama, April 25, 2023
