The United States has been in contact with the Sudanese Army and the powerful Rapid Support Forces (FAR) paramilitary militia, whose fighting has left dozens of deaths since Saturday, to ask them for an immediate cessation of violence. An appeal joined by Egypt, the most important sponsor of the Sudanese Armed Forces, in a joint initiative with the United Arab Emirates and separate from Washington.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken himself called the commanders of both armies separately on Monday night, hours after a diplomatic convoy was fired upon in an apparent attack that he has attributed to FAR fighters. A "reckless" and "irresponsible" incident, although it caused no injuries.
Clashes between the two parties have left at least 185 dead and more than 1,800 injured, UN envoy Volker Perthes said on Monday; although the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors lowered the figure on Tuesday at 144 civilian deaths and more than 1,400 wounded.
Blinken called for a 24-hour ceasefire so that civilians can "return to their families safely and get desperately needed emergency supplies." The head of US diplomacy also called on both leaders to ensure the safety and well-being of civilians, diplomatic personnel and humanitarian workers.
Apparently, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti and paramilitary leader of the FAR, whose origin is the terrible Janjaweed militias, which perpetrated atrocities in Darfur; he agreed to Blinken's demands and reaffirmed his commitment to a 24-hour ceasefire to ensure civilian safe passage and evacuation. He also charged that the Sudanese Armed Forces had broken the ceasefire, "bombarded densely populated areas from the air and endangered the lives of civilians."
The FAR denied being behind the attack on diplomatic missions, including that of the European ambassador in Sudan (who was attacked on Monday at his residence). "The coup plotters and Islamist terrorist groups carried out many brutal crimes against innocent citizens, including the unjustified attack on the headquarters of diplomatic missions, such as the headquarters of the ambassador of the European Union mission in Khartoum," they said. FAR on his official Twitter account.
As for the attack on the US convoy, which Blinken accused "forces associated with the FAR" of having carried out, the FAR indicated that they have arrested "a large number of people wearing FAR uniforms after the coup plotters They will distribute and arm them to infiltrate the FAR, and to facilitate their crossing over the bridges we control."
Hemedti, whose whereabouts have not been revealed since the fighting began, said he hopes there will be a new call with Blinken to "continue the dialogue and work hand in hand to forge a better future for our nations."
The two warring factions joined forces in 2021 to carry out a joint coup to end the democratic transition following massive popular protests that ousted dictator Omar Al Bashir, in power since 1989. Army chief Burhan heads a government council but the disagreement with Hemedti, his deputy, on the future of the transition towards a civilian government, and especially on who should lead the armed forces, ignited the fight.
The fighting, with artillery fire and shots, and airstrikes hit the capital, Khartoum, since Saturday. The violence has cut off electricity and water. And access to food is limited, as stores are closed.
The UN envoy to Sudan ruled out yesterday that the two soldiers are willing to negotiate. "The two sides that are fighting do not give the impression that they want mediation to achieve peace between them immediately," Perthes told reporters by video link from Khartoum. The rivals agreed to a three-hour humanitarian truce, but fighting continued despite promises of calm.
Clashes in Khartoum and its neighboring sister cities of Omdurman and Bahri are the worst in decades and risk dividing Sudan between two military factions that shared power during a difficult political transition.
Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are also working on a ceasefire proposal for Sudan, two Egyptian security sources said. While Cairo is the main partner of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Hemedti has cultivated ties with foreign powers, including the United Arab Emirates and Russia.
In a speech broadcast on Egyptian state television on Monday night, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi said he was in regular contact with the army and the FAR to "encourage them to accept a ceasefire and save the blood of the Sudanese people".
Sudan's army press office said Burhan would pardon FAR officers and soldiers who surrendered and "lay down their arms." Those that do would be absorbed into the armed forces, he added. Burhan on Monday described the FAR as a rebel group and ordered its disbandment. Hemedti called the army chief "a radical Islamist who is bombing civilians from the air." While the army is larger and has air power, the RSF is widely deployed in the neighborhoods of Khartoum and other cities, giving neither faction the advantage for a quick victory.
The violence could destabilize a volatile region and spark a competition for influence there between Russia and the United States, and among regional powers that have courted different players in Sudan.
The head of the UN, Antonio Guterres, urged a return to calm, and recalled that the country was experiencing a serious humanitarian emergency (a third of its population depends on aid), which is now catastrophic. The UN aid chief, Martin Griffiths, reported that the fighting has caused the suspension of many humanitarian assistance programs.
