KHARTOUM: General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the head of the Sudanese army, delivered a televised speech on Tuesday, declaring a “unilateral” ceasefire on the first day of Eid Al-Adha.
The announcement comes amidst ongoing fighting in Khartoum, with paramilitaries seizing the main police base and clashes intensifying between General Al-Burhan’s army and General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), primarily around military compounds.
During his speech, General Al-Burhan emphasized the need for vigilance and readiness to counter the existential threats facing the country. He called upon all young men capable of defending Sudan to play their role, either by joining the armed forces or by contributing from their respective locations.
UN Warns Sudan Conflict Escalating to Alarming Level
Simultaneously, the United Nations warned that the conflict in Sudan was escalating to “alarming levels,” particularly in the western region of Darfur. The organization expressed concerns that the violence could displace over one million refugees from the country by October.
The announcement of a unilateral ceasefire by the Sudanese army chief signifies a potential turning point in the ongoing conflict. It remains to be seen how the different factions involved, including the RSF, will respond to this declaration and whether it will lead to a de-escalation of violence.
