US President Joe Biden on Tuesday called on the warring parties in Sudan to resume negotiations to end the war that has been raging since April 2023 and has left tens of thousands dead and brought the country to the brink of famine. “I call upon the belligerents (…) withdraw its forces, facilitate humanitarian access and re-engage in negotiations to end this war.”said in a statement released just days after heavy fighting broke out again in Darfur.
Joe Biden is referring to the recent fighting in El Fasher, the only capital of Darfur’s five states not in the hands of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been besieging the city since May. The headquarters was recently transformed into a “totally offensive”complaint, listing the horrors that civilians have faced since the beginning of the conflict.
Darfur regional governor Mini Minawi said last week that the army had rejected “a broad attack” of the RSF, but claimed to have made progress and conquered military positions in the city, capital of North Darfur state.
In April 2023, war broke out between the army led by General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Al-Bourhane and the FSR, led by his former deputy, Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, known as “Hemetti”. The American president recalled on Tuesday that this war created “one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world”with almost “10 million displaced”.
The United States began talks on August 14 in Switzerland to expand humanitarian access and establish a ceasefire with the US special envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello. They concluded about ten days later, without a truce but with a commitment by the belligerents to guarantee safe and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance on two key routes.
US aid to Sudanese civilians has reached $1.6 billion in two years, Joe Biden added in the press release. “Let us be clear: the United States will not abandon its commitment to the people of Sudan, who deserve freedom, peace, and justice. We call on all parties to the conflict to end the violence.”concludes.
