The Commander of the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces, Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti”, announced his agreement to participate in US-brokered ceasefire talks starting on August 14 in Switzerland.
Hemedti said on his account on the X platform
“I welcome the invitation announced by Mr. Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State, and announce our participation in the upcoming ceasefire talks on August 14, 2024 in Switzerland. I appreciate the efforts of the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland in organizing these important deliberations.”
He added, "We share with the international community the goal of achieving a comprehensive ceasefire throughout the country, facilitating humanitarian access for all those in need, and developing a strong monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure the implementation of any agreement reached."
He added, "The extent of the suffering and destruction in our country is great, and we renew our firm position, which was stated in the statement of the US Secretary of State today, which is to insist on saving lives, stopping the fighting, and paving the way to a peaceful, negotiated political solution that returns the country to civilian rule and the path of democratic transformation. We are ready to deal." “With these talks in a constructive manner, we look forward to them being a major step towards peace and stability and the establishment of a new Sudanese state based on justice, equality and federal rule.”
He concluded his statement by saying, "We affirm our commitment to our people and the international community by participating in the talks on August 14 in Switzerland, and we look forward to working hard for a peaceful and democratic future for our country."
An American initiative
Earlier on Tuesday, the United States announced that it had invited the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to peace talks next August in Switzerland with the aim of ending the conflict in Sudan.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement that Washington "invited the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to participate in ceasefire talks, mediated by the United States, starting on August 14 in Switzerland."
He added that the talks, which are also sponsored by Saudi Arabia, will include the African Union, Egypt, the UAE, and the United Nations as observers.
Blinken explained that it "aims to achieve a cessation of violence throughout the country, allow humanitarian aid to reach all those who need it, and establish a strong monitoring and verification mechanism in order to ensure the implementation of any agreement."
Since April 2023, Sudan has been witnessing a war between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces led by Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo, nicknamed Hemedti.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands and caused a major humanitarian crisis.
The United States indicated that the talks would not “address broader political issues.”
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