Sudan Military Accepts UN Weeklong Ceasefire in El-Fasher for Humanitarian Aid

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have agreed to a United Nations proposal for a weeklong ceasefire in the besieged city of El Fasher, North Darfur, to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. UN Secretary-General António Guterres contacted SAF Commander-in-Chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, who accepted the ceasefire proposal, emphasizing the urgency of implementing relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The ceasefire aims to allow aid distribution amid a dire situation in El Fasher, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been besieging the city for over a year, leading to severe starvation and displacement. Although the SAF has agreed, the RSF has not yet responded or confirmed compliance with the ceasefire proposal. The civil war between SAF and RSF, which began in April 2023, has caused over 20,000 deaths and displaced around 14 million people, with some estimates suggesting much higher casualties. The UN stresses that the truce must be agreed upon days in advance to prepare for a large-scale humanitarian delivery, aiming to prevent further catastrophe in the region.