Sudanese Generals Agree to Seven-Day Ceasefire in Hopes of Ending Conflict and Ensuring Safety of Civilians

The United Nations has warned that the ongoing conflict in Sudan could force 800,000 people to flee the country. Despite this, South Sudan’s government announced Tuesday that the two generals at the center of the conflict have agreed “in principle” to a seven-day ceasefire beginning on Thursday, May 4.

The conflict began on April 15 when disputes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into violence. Since then, hundreds of people have been killed and thousands wounded.

The ceasefire agreement was reached between the army chief and RSF head, who had shared control of the government after a 2021 coup but fell out over a planned transition to civilian rule. The news may spark hope of a more widespread and durable halt to the violence that has plagued Sudan since the commanders colluded in the coup.

The United Nations has urged all parties to the conflict to respect the ceasefire and to ensure the safety of civilians. They have also called for an immediate end to the violence and for the parties to resume negotiations in order to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

The ceasefire agreement is a positive step towards ending the conflict in Sudan and ensuring the safety of its citizens. It is hoped that the ceasefire will hold and that negotiations will soon begin in order to reach a lasting peace.