Sudan: Army rejects UAE’s ceasefire proposal

The United Arab Emirates on February 11th urged Sudan to observe a ceasefire during the upcoming month of Ramadan, but the Sudanese army rejected the appeal as the country’s civil war approaches its second year, the New Arab via Reuters reported.

The Sudanese military has accused the UAE of fueling the conflict by supplying weapons to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a claim supported by both UN experts and US lawmakers. 

The UAE, however, has denied any involvement in arming the group.

The war has plunged Sudan into a dire humanitarian catastrophe, with more than 12 million people displaced and half of the population struggling with severe food shortages. The shelling of a market in Omdurman which left at least 60 people dead, has further highlighted the growing issues facing civilians.

“As we approach the holy month of Ramadan, a time of mercy and compassion, the UAE calls on all parties to honour this sacred period with a humanitarian ceasefire,” a UAE representative said.

In response, a senior army source dismissed the proposal. They told Reuters: “We do not accept a Ramadan ceasefire until the siege is broken on all cities and areas that are besieged.”

The RSF has currently carrying out an assault on Al-Fashir, the military’s last stronghold in Darfur, while simultaneously losing ground to the army in Khartoum. 

As the army regains strategic positions in the capital, military sources suggest a new wartime government could be formed once Khartoum is fully recaptured.

The paramilitary force has given no response to a request for comment.

Alongside its call for a truce, the UAE announced plans to co-host a summit with the African Union in Addis Ababa on February 14th, aiming to raise funds for humanitarian relief in Sudan. 

The Emirati government also pledged $200 million in financial aid.

Sudan’s ruling administration, however, firmly rejected the summit, describing it as an “crime and aggression against an African nation seeking to protect its land and sovereignty.” 

“Unfortunately, the Sudanese army has sought to distort the role of the UAE by falsifying facts … These allegations will not divert the UAE’s attention from its primary objective, which is aimed at promoting stability,” the UAE official said.

The New Arab via Reuters