Abdalla Hamdok, chair of the Forces of Freedom and Change coalition, known as “Summoud,” issued a powerful call on Tuesday for the Sudanese Armed Forces to accept an immediate, unconditional ceasefire. He warned that the ongoing war, now entering its third year, risks the total collapse of the state and would turn Sudan into a “fertile ground for terrorist groups.”
In a filmed address to the Sudanese people, delivered amid escalating humanitarian suffering and mounting documented war crimes, Hamdok described the situation as a “war machine mercilessly reaping the lives of Sudanese citizens.” He emphasized that “millions of our noble people endure indescribable hardship” and that “hundreds of thousands of civilians are killed and displaced every month.”
Hamdok stressed that the conflict has transcended a mere armed confrontation between two parties; it has become a “comprehensive war targeting the Sudanese person—his life, dignity, identity, and future.” He cited “documented evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity,” including the use of food as a weapon, sexual violence, indiscriminate aerial bombardment, and reports of chemical weapon usage.
Issuing a sincere plea to both warring sides, Hamdok implored: “I make a sincere appeal to the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces: stop this war immediately… stop this bleeding that devours the homeland.”
He specifically urged the Sudanese Armed Forces to follow the example of the Rapid Support Forces by publicly welcoming peace efforts and agreeing to a ceasefire without conditions. Notably, the RSF recently expressed its agreement to a proposed humanitarian truce.
Warning of dire consequences if hostilities continue, Hamdok said that ongoing war “paves the way for a comprehensive social and economic collapse and creates an entire generation without education, healthcare, or a future.” He warned Sudan could become a “hotbed and fertile ground for terrorist groups” if the state falls apart.
Hamdok also expressed special thanks to the Quartet of international mediators—the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt—for their “renewed attention to the Sudanese file after a long period of neglect.” He insisted their engagement “must not stop at statements but advance to practical steps to save what remains of Sudan.”
Accompanied by images of displaced Sudanese women from El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and other conflict-affected areas walking through the newly established Al-Afad Camp in Al-Dabba, North State, Hamdok called on local, regional, and international communities to coordinate all ongoing initiatives.
He proposed five urgent steps to halt the collapse:
-
An immediate, unconditional ceasefire.
-
Unrestricted humanitarian aid access.
-
Protection of civilians and cessation of indiscriminate bombardments, alongside accountability for violations.
-
Mobilization of international and regional resources to close the funding gap for relief.
-
Initiation of a cross-border humanitarian operation and establishment of a special UN regional mechanism to ensure aid continuity.
Hamdok affirmed that “stopping the war is the only way back to a democratic path based on the slogans of the December revolution: ‘Freedom, Peace, and Justice,’” reflecting growing despair over a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
The renewed appeals come amid intense clashes that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in various regions of Sudan, both vying for control of vital sites. Several Arab, African, and international mediators have brokered ceasefire talks, but a lasting truce remains elusive.
(Source: Al-Yurae-Sputnik)
