Sudan reaches 72-hour truce after intense negotiations

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Monday that Sudan's warring factions have agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire. The decision follows intense negotiations over the past 48 hours between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The ceasefire began at midnight on 24 April.

The United States has urged Sudan's SAF and RSF to immediately and fully respect the ceasefire, said Antony Blinken. This request was made in response to recent fighting between the two sides in the country, which has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people and the displacement of thousands of civilians. Blinken said the US will work with regional and international partners and Sudanese civilian stakeholders to assist in the creation of a committee to oversee the negotiation, conclusion, and implementation of a permanent cessation of hostilities and humanitarian arrangements in Sudan. It further called on both parties to cease harassment, attacks on civilians, recruitment of children, destruction of infrastructure and imposition of blockades.

RSF or Rapid Support Forces have agreed to a humanitarian truce to facilitate the movement of civilians, allow them to meet their needs, evacuate diplomatic missions and evacuate foreign nationals. The truce has allowed brief pauses in the fighting to allow for the evacuation of civilians. The three-day cessation of fighting in Sudan provides safe access to food, medical supplies to address critical problems facing the Sudanese.

The US has said it does not plan to evacuate its citizens from Sudan because of conditions on the ground. John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, stated that the situation in Sudan is unsafe for a military evacuation of US citizens. However, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said the US is helping US citizens leave the country via overland convoys.

US diplomatic employees were evacuated from Khartoum after the week of heavy fighting between rival military factions. France has evacuated 500 people, while Saudi Arabia has evacuated 10 Saudi nationals and 189 foreign nationals, including Americans. President Joe Biden has called for "every conceivable option" to help Americans in Sudan, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

The US is working with allies and partners to facilitate the land evacuation of Americans wishing to leave the country, while the State Department has been in contact with US citizens on the ground to provide consular and other services and advice.

The country has been in close communication with US citizens and persons affiliated with the US Government since the evacuation of the Embassy, providing assistance and facilitating exit routes. In addition, they are deploying naval assets in the Red Sea and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets to support land evacuation routes and are assisting US citizens arriving in Port Sudan to provide for their travel.

US government officials have acknowledged that there are approximately 16,000 US citizens in Sudan, most of whom are dual nationals. These citizens, who grew up and have families, jobs and businesses in Sudan, do not want to leave the country. Officials have not planned an evacuation due to the lack of a functioning airport and the fighting on the ground. Despite the situation in Sudan, several countries have successfully evacuated their citizens.

The US has joined the effort with the State Department warning US citizens not to travel to the country, however, some Americans already in Sudan have expressed concerns about the lack of assistance to leave the country. Countries that have successfully evacuated their citizens include Spain, Jordan, Italy, France, Denmark and Germany, while the UK has successfully evacuated its embassy staff and citizens from other countries. In addition, further evacuations are being planned for citizens of countries such as China and India. On the other hand, there is great concern for the safety of those still in the country, affecting critical resources such as food, water and medical care, as well as internet connectivity. This situation presents a rare and chaotic exception to US evacuation rules, which generally do not extend to regular citizens.

Americas Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra.