The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has revealed that the contending generals in Sudan have agreed to a three-day ceasefire starting Tuesday (today), after previous moves to secure a pause the conflict quickly collapsed.
In a statement two hours before the truce was to go into effect which was obtained by Africa Today News, New York, Blinken said; ‘Following intense negotiation over the past 48 hours, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to implement a nationwide ceasefire starting at midnight on April 24, to last for 72 hours’.
‘During this period, the United States urges the SAF and RSF to immediately and fully uphold the ceasefire,’ Blinken confirmed.
Blinken said that the United States was also working with partners to set up a committee that would negotiate a permanent ceasefire in Sudan, where the conflict between rival generals descended into deadly violence 10 days ago.
Blinken met earlier Monday in Washington on the peace efforts with Kenya’s top diplomat and has held phone conversations with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis has called for dialogue between fighting military factions in Sudan as a bloody outbreak of fighting entered a second week.
‘Unfortunately the situation remains grave in Sudan.
‘That is why I am renewing my call for the violence to stop as quickly as possible and for dialogue to resume,” the pontiff said during traditional Sunday prayers in Saint Peter’s Square in Rome.
‘I invite everyone to pray for our Sudanese brothers and sisters,’ he added.
France, Italy, Turkey and the United States are all evacuating citizens from Sudan.
Ferocious battles between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group — which has seen fighting with tanks in densely populated Khartoum and air strikes launched by fighter jets — have killed more than 400 people and left thousands wounded.