Sudanese political adviser Amjad Farid Al-Tayeb has sharply criticized Massad Boulos, the US Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs, over his handling of the proposed humanitarian truce in Sudan.
In a post on the social media platform X, Al-Tayeb noted that the Sudanese government had previously welcomed the humanitarian truce proposal and called for technical consultations to discuss the practical arrangements required for its implementation. However, according to Al-Tayeb, Boulos continues to urge Sudan to accept the truce while avoiding detailed technical discussions, arguing that repeated appeals do not constitute genuine progress.
Al-Tayeb stressed that a truce cannot be achieved simply by signing a document or publishing photographs and social media posts. He emphasized that the lives of Sudanese civilians are at stake and that the issue must not be turned into a “publicity-driven diplomatic exercise.”
He called on the US adviser, if he was serious about securing a humanitarian truce, to present a clear operational plan, a specific timetable, and a proposal for the post-truce phase. These should include implementation and monitoring mechanisms, civilian protection, the return of displaced people to their homes, and guarantees to prevent the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from exploiting the truce to rearm and regroup.
Al-Tayeb described as unacceptable a mediation approach that involves announcing a truce to the world while leaving civilians “hostages in the hands of the militia.” He added that photo opportunities and social media posts do not constitute genuine mediation.
The comments followed a meeting between Boulos and Pekka Haavisto, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan. During the meeting, the US side reaffirmed its support for dialogue efforts sponsored by the “Quintet,” while emphasizing that reaching a humanitarian truce was a fundamental prerequisite for any comprehensive political dialogue.
