UAE calls for Sudan ceasefire; army declines
As Sudan's war nears two years, the UAE calls for a Ramadan truce, but the army refuses
DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday called for a ceasefire in Sudan during the holy month of Ramadan, a UAE official said. The call was rejected by the Sudanese army. The call comes as the country’s civil war nears two years.
The UAE is viewed by the military as an aggressor in the conflict, and it is alleged by US senators and UN experts that the UAE is arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The accusations are denied by the UAE.
With almost 12 million people displaced, half of the population going hungry, and the poor nation becoming more and more divided, the conflict in Sudan has caused the greatest humanitarian crisis in history.
The UAE urges all parties to observe a humanitarian ceasefire in observance of the holy month of Ramadan, which is a time of compassion and kindness, according to a UAE official.
When contacted for response, a senior military source told Reuters, “We will not accept a Ramadan ceasefire until the siege is lifted in all besieged towns and areas.”
As it loses territory to the army in the capital, Khartoum, the RSF is presently on the offensive in the Darfur area, including the town of Al-Fashir, the army’s final stronghold.
A request for response from the paramilitary force was not answered.
According to a UAE official, the UAE will announce $200 million in funding at a summit with the African Union in Addis Ababa on Friday to generate money for humanitarian assistance and a ceasefire in Sudan.
Burhan’s deputy chairman on the Sudanese Sovereignty Council said in a statement that the government rejected the summit plan on Monday, calling it “a crime and aggression against an African country that seeks to defend its land and sovereignty” in light of the UAE’s alleged involvement in the conflict.
“Unfortunately, the Sudanese military has distorted the facts in an attempt to undermine the UAE’s position. The UAE official stated that the country will not let these accusations divert it from its main goal, which is to advance stability.
