Sudan's RSF declares unilateral truce following army's rejection of int'l truce plan

KHARTOUM -- Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday declared a unilateral three-month humanitarian truce, a day after the Sudanese Armed Forces rejected an internationally backed ceasefire plan.

RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo announced the pause in a televised address, saying his fighters would halt operations to allow aid deliveries and protect civilians. He said the group agreed to the truce to offer "hope" to a population "exhausted by this war."

Dagalo pledged to set up a field mechanism monitored by the Quad -- Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States -- along with the African Union and other international bodies, to ensure aid reaches civilians. He also vowed to hold RSF members accountable for abuses and safeguard offices of humanitarian organizations.

The RSF has been accused by rights groups and diplomats of widespread atrocities, including the killing of more than 2,000 civilians in El Fasher, a key Darfur city the group seized from the army in October.

The announcement came after army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan rejected a Quad proposal that called for a three-month humanitarian truce followed by a nine-month political process aimed at a permanent settlement.

In a statement late Sunday, Al-Burhan said the roadmap would "eliminate the existence of the armed forces" and dissolve security agencies while leaving the RSF "in its positions."

Al-Burhan, who also heads Sudan's ruling Transitional Sovereignty Council, accused the UAE of bias and of seeking to weaken the army. On Monday, the UAE's foreign ministry accused Al-Burhan of "consistently obstructive behavior." The UAE has long denied accusations from the Sudanese army that it arms and funds the RSF.

Al-Burhan also criticized Massad Boulos, a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump, saying Boulos risked becoming an obstacle to peace. Boulos has accused the army of blocking aid and using chemical weapons, allegations the military denies.

Fighting between the army and the RSF erupted in April 2023 and has killed thousands and displaced millions, fueling one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.