RSF says it’s ready for ceasefire talks as Sudan war enters third year

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group engaged in a brutal two-year conflict with Sudan’s national army, announced on November 6 that it had agreed to a humanitarian truce proposed by the Quad, a US-led mediation group.

The announcement came just over a week after the RSF captured El-Fasher, the last major Sudanese military stronghold in the western Darfur region, following an 18-month siege. The fall of El-Fasher marked a significant shift in the balance of power in the war that has devastated the country since 2023.

In a statement, the RSF said it “looks forward to implementing the agreement and immediately commencing discussions on arrangements for a cessation of hostilities and the fundamental principles guiding the political process in Sudan, in a manner that addresses the root causes of the conflicts, ending the suffering of the Sudanese people.”

A senior Sudanese military official told the Associated Press that the army welcomed the Quad’s initiative but would only agree to a truce once the RSF fully withdrew from civilian areas and surrendered its weapons, in line with earlier peace proposals. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue.

Sudan has been engulfed in fierce fighting between the army and the foreign-backed Rapid Reaction Force (RRF) since mid-April 2023. The RRF, which evolved from the former Rapid Support Forces, has consolidated control over several strategic areas, particularly in Darfur.

El-Fasher, the largest city in western Sudan, reportedly fell under RRF control after prolonged and intense clashes. Footage circulated by members of the group shows harrowing scenes of violence — including massacres of unarmed civilians, acts of torture, and forced evictions that have driven tens of thousands from their homes.

By Tamilla Hasanova