A three-month ceasefire has been brokered in Sudan’s devastating civil war, involving a paramilitary force facing severe international allegations over its conduct. The agreement, mediated by a coalition of foreign powers, calls for a nationwide halt in hostilities.
The truce comes at a critical moment for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which stands accused of orchestrating a large-scale, ethnically targeted massacre in the strategic city of El Fasher. Just as news of the ceasefire emerged, new evidence surfaced suggesting the group had been attempting to conceal evidence of mass killings.
International monitors report that satellite imagery indicates the systematic burial of bodies in mass graves around El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. While the exact death toll remains unclear, estimates from on-the-ground sources suggest civilian casualties number in the tens of thousands. Witness accounts describe fighters moving from house to house, carrying out executions and sexual violence. Medical facilities have not been spared, with reports of hundreds killed at a single hospital and medical staff abducted.
The ceasefire, proposed by the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, is being framed as a humanitarian pause. However, analysts suggest the move may also be an effort by the RSF to manage growing diplomatic pressure. The UAE, a principal backer of the paramilitary group, has repeatedly denied allegations that it has supplied weapons and fighters for the conflict, despite findings to the contrary in United Nations reports.
The Sudanese military government has signaled its intent to continue the fight, casting doubt on the prospects for a lasting peace. The war, now in its third year, has caused one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
International legal bodies have taken note of the atrocities. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court have confirmed they are actively gathering evidence of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in El Fasher. Plans are underway to convene negotiations in Saudi Arabia between the warring parties, with the aim of transitioning the temporary truce into a permanent political settlement.