The parties in Sudan agree to a new truce, supervised by Saudi Arabia and the US.

The Army and the paramilitaries of Sudan have agreed in the Saudi city of jeddah a seven-day ceasefire to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid, which will be monitored by mediators, Saudi Arabia and USAfor the first time since the start of the conflict, on April 15.

The truce, reached by the sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (FAR) after weeks of indirect dialogue in jeddahwill enter into force at 21:45 local Saudi time tomorrow Monday (18:45 GMT), “will cover everything Sudan” and “can be extended after agreement of both parties” in conflict.

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Under the agreement, the partiesfacilitate the arrival and distribution of humanitarian aid” and will act for “restore basic services and withdraw forces from hospitals and homes” of civilians, according to a joint Saudi-American statement, released this morning by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs saudi

He stressed that both sidesagreed to facilitate access and safe passage of aid and humanitarian personnel (…) from ports to those in need” to face the consequences of the combats that have caused the death of more than 700 civilians and the wounding of more than 5,000 others, in addition to the internal and external displacement of more than 1.1 million people, the vast majority of them women and children, according to UN.

A supervised truce

That will be the first seven-day truce in Sudan after the one that ended on May 11, mediated by South Sudanand that -like the numerous previous ones- was not respected by the parties, between mutual accusations of occupying and using civilian homes and facilities for military purposes.

The new agreement highlights the creation, for the first time, of a “Supervision and Coordination Commission”, which will include three representatives from Saudi Arabia, another three from the US and three from each of the parties to the conflict, to monitor compliance by the Army and the FAR of the cessation of hostilities.

During the seven days, the parties will guarantee that “Forces under their control cease and desist from the prohibited acts” that may constitute a “violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law”, underlines the text of the agreement.

MORE INFORMATION: UN warns that Sudan is “collapsing” due to clashes between the army and paramilitaries

They also undertake to “cease attacks and hostilities, including snipers, airstrikes, and the use of military aircraft, drones, or any heavy weapons”, as well as avoid “strengthening your defenses” either “resupply, distribute weapons or military supplies, including from foreign sources“, Add.

The understanding also forbids “occupy hospitals and basic infrastructure facilities” such as water, electricity and fuel, or “use civilians as human shields”.

Tense calm after the announcement

Both the Army, which assured today that what was agreed in Jeddah “only covers military and technical profiles, and not political ones”, as the FAR assured that they will respect the new ceasefire, although they have not complied with the numerous truces announced since the beginning of the fighting.

Khartoumwhere most of the confrontations are concentrated, woke up today in the midst of a tense calm, and residents told EFE that no bombings and explosions were heard in the last hours like those that characterized life in the capital in the last five weeks .

“Civilians need that truce to breathe”, he told EFE Mohamed Omrana Khartoum-based lawyer, although he expressed doubts that the parties would comply with the new agreement, “because the last truce has had no effect on the reality we live in”.

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For his part, Ali Alzaferan accountant, was more optimistic, noting that “this time the truce will be monitored”.

The Jeddah agreement, the last step in a series of indirect negotiations that began on the 6th, was celebrated as “another step” towards the end of the conflict by the alliance of civilian opposition parties of Sudan Forces of Freedom and Changewhich before April 15, negotiated with the military the democratic transition in the country after the military coup in October 2021.

The Arab leaguemade up of 22 States, also welcomed the agreement, while EgyptSudan’s northern neighbor and a country that hosts more than 100,000 civilians who have fled the conflict, expressed hope that “the truce is extended after its end, and that a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire agreement is reached”.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.