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Explosions reported in Khartoum amid fragile truce talks
Residents of Sudan's capital reported overnight blasts near a military base and power station on Friday, hours after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) signaled conditional support for a humanitarian ceasefire brokered by the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
Witnesses in Khartoum-controlled by Sudan's army-told AFP they were awakened by drones and explosions early Friday. Additional strikes were reported 300 km north in Atbara, where a resident described anti-aircraft fire and subsequent fires in the city's eastern districts.
Government skepticism over truce terms
Sudan's military-led administration dismissed the RSF's ceasefire pledge, citing repeated violations in past agreements. Ambassador Osman Abufatima Adam Mohammed, speaking in South Africa, accused the RSF of exploiting truces to "advance positions and target government forces."
The ambassador also reiterated allegations that the UAE-one of the truce's mediators-has supplied the RSF with weapons and foreign fighters. While UN experts deem such claims credible, the UAE has consistently denied involvement.
"From our experience, we had many truces at the beginning of the war, but every time there was no respect from [the RSF]. They use these truces to move to new areas and make moves against the government."
Osman Abufatima Adam Mohammed, Sudan's ambassador to South Africa
Strategic shifts after el-Fasher's fall
The RSF's ceasefire announcement followed its 18-month siege and eventual capture of el-Fasher, a critical Darfur stronghold. Analysts suggest the group's consolidation of western Sudan may bolster its negotiating leverage, though its forces face mounting accusations of mass killings and sexual violence during the offensive-allegations the RSF denies.
Humanitarian crisis deepens
Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, over 150,000 people have died and 12 million have been displaced, per UN estimates. A global hunger monitor this week confirmed famine conditions in contested zones, as fighting persists despite repeated international mediation efforts.
Key developments
- Ceasefire proposal: First tabled in September 2024 by the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt; calls for a permanent truce and civilian transition.
- Government stance: Rejects "foreign interference" and equating its forces with the RSF, labeled a "racist terrorist militia."
- RSF gains: Control of el-Fasher secures dominance over Darfur, altering the conflict's territorial balance.
