Sudan Welcomes Peace Efforts to End War with RSF, Rejects Foreign Intervention
Sudan Events – Agencies
Sudan on Saturday welcomed efforts to end the ongoing war in the country and attacks carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, while reaffirming its rejection of any foreign interference in its internal affairs, according to Anadolu Agency.
“The Sudanese government welcomes any regional or international efforts to help end the war, halt the terrorist attacks by the RSF on cities and infrastructure, and lift sieges on urban areas to prevent the repetition of tragedies and crimes against the Sudanese people,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement.
The statement followed a joint declaration by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States calling for a “humanitarian truce” in Sudan to enable swift access for aid across the country.
The ministry reiterated its rejection of any “international or regional intervention that does not respect Sudan’s sovereignty, its legitimate institutions, and its right to defend its people and territory.”
It also expressed regret over the international community’s failure to compel the RSF to implement UN Security Council Resolutions 2736 and 1591, lift the siege on Al-Fashir, alleviate the suffering of its citizens—including the elderly, women, and children—and allow humanitarian convoys to pass.
Al-Fashir has witnessed intense fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF since May 2024, despite international warnings about the risks of violence in a city that serves as a major humanitarian hub for the five states of Darfur.
The RSF and the army have been engaged in a brutal struggle for power since April 2023, resulting in thousands of deaths and pushing Sudan into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
According to the United Nations and local sources, more than 20,000 people have been killed and 15 million displaced. However, U.S.-based researchers estimate that the actual death toll may reach 130,000.
Target Civilians
A military source told Al Jazeera that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) carried out drone strikes early this morning on several cities in the White Nile state in southern Sudan, including the state capital, Kosti.
The source confirmed that the Sudanese army’s air defenses, stationed with the 18th Infantry Division in Kosti, successfully shot down several drones targeting the cities of Rabak, Kosti, and Kenana.
Some of the drones were reported to have targeted the Kenana army airbase, the headquarters of the 18th Infantry Division in Kosti, the Um Dabakir electrical substation in Rabak—which is the largest of its kind in the country—and fuel depots, before being intercepted by air defenses.
Vital and strategic installations in Kosti have been repeatedly targeted by RSF drones.
The Sudanese Sovereign Council described the attack as a “continuing violation amid suspicious regional and international silence,” adding that “this war is directed against the Sudanese people.”
In Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur in western Sudan, military sources told Al Jazeera that the RSF shelled residential neighborhoods with heavy artillery. The city has been under siege and facing clashes for over 500 days.
Abbas Youssef, the Humanitarian Commissioner of North Darfur, accused the RSF of causing the forced displacement of Sudanese residents in Al-Fashir. He told Al Jazeera that “the RSF prevents food and humanitarian aid from entering the city, while daily shelling of IDP camps, shelters, and residential neighborhoods continues.”
