Hemeti seeks peace, committed to the outcomes of IGAD without conditions
The frontlines in Sudan are witnessing a decline in military operations without ground clashes as mutual artillery shelling comes to a halt
The commander of the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeti), affirmed his “unconditional” readiness to negotiate for a fair and comprehensive peace in the country. He is committed to the outcomes of the summit of the member states of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which begins with a direct meeting between Hemeti and the army’s commander. Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, to halt the ongoing war between the two parties since mid-April.
Hemeti arrived in Djibouti on Sunday, leading regional efforts to achieve a ceasefire between the two parties. This marks the final station in his tour of East Africa, considered his first official visit abroad since the start of the recent war in Sudan in mid-April.
After meeting with Djiboutian President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh in the capital, Hemeti said, “I am pleased with the visit to the sisterly Republic of Djibouti and the meeting with President Guelleh. I provided him with an explanation of the developments in Sudan in light of the ongoing war, presenting our vision to end the war and achieve a comprehensive solution to alleviate the suffering of our great people.” The IGAD summit was held on December 9th and approved a 6-point roadmap. Hemeti stated, “I confirmed our full commitment to the outcomes of the IGAD Heads of State Conference and our unconditional readiness to negotiate to achieve a fair and comprehensive peace.”
News reports suggest a decline in military operations in the Sudanese frontlines without ground clashes, with a halt in the intense mutual artillery shelling that characterized the past days. This indicates the seriousness of the Rapid Support Forces in de-escalation and advancing in dialogue to reach an agreement on a ceasefire.
The Rapid Support Forces solidified their control over the al-Jazirah state a few days ago. They also seized four states in the Darfur region in western Sudan out of five. in addition to dominating large parts of Khartoum and the Kordofan region. Djibouti holds the rotating presidency of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in East Africa (IGAD). an organization founded in 1996 and based in Djibouti. IGAD includes Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan. and South Sudan.
Hemeti‘s visit to Djibouti comes after the postponement of a scheduled meeting between him and al-Burhan on Thursday. described by IGAD as “technical” reasons. On Saturday, Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said, “Next week. Djibouti, as the president of the IGAD. will pave the way for the Sudanese dialogue and host a decisive meeting.” without providing further details. A Sudanese source .also reported that the atmosphere has been prepared for a productive meeting between the conflicting parties.
Media outlets mentioned that upon his arrival in Addis Ababa. Hemeti held official talks with Ethiopian Deputy. Prime Minister addressing developments in Sudan and efforts to stop the war and restore security and stability in the country.
He expressed gratitude to the Ethiopian government and people for their sympathy with the Sudanese people and hosting those fleeing the war. He affirmed that Addis Ababa has always stood by the Sudanese people due to the historical ties that bind them.
The Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the commander of the Rapid Support Forces “to his second home. Ethiopia,” expressing their aspiration to end .the war in Sudan and restore stability.
Hemeti also had talks with the Ugandan president on Wednesday. addressing the situation in Sudan due to the ongoing war for more than 8 months. explaining the reasons for its outbreak. He stated that its instigators are supporters of the former regime with the assistance of their leaders in the armed forces and entities obstructing the solution. supporting the continuation of the conflict. He confirmed his adherence to the outcomes of the IGAD Heads Summit held in Djibouti on December 9th. committing to work on ending the war.
This comes as Sudan faces an extremely challenging humanitarian situation. with the UN World Food Programme and Médecins Sans Frontières .(Doctors Without Borders) threatening to suspend their operations in the al-Jazirah state due to the worsening. humanitarian crisis resulting from. the war that has been ongoing for over eight months.
The World Food Programme stated that it was forced to stop .aid distribution in the state after a warehouse containing supplies sufficient for 1.5 million people for a month was looted.
Doctors Without Borders reported on Friday that armed men attacked its compound in Wad Madani. the capital of the al-Jazirah state. on December 19th, stealing two cars and other contents. The state is about 170 kilometers southeast of the capital, Khartoum.
In a statement on the social media platform Ex, Doctors Without Borders said,. “Due to the deterioration of the security situation. we have suspended .all medical activities in Wad Madani and evacuated our staff to safer areas in Sudan and neighboring countries.
The war erupted between the army and the Rapid Support Forces in mid-April amidst tension over the transition from military rule to civilian rule. Both parties played a role in the authority following the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir in 2019 during a popular uprising.
The conflict has displaced seven million people from their homes. and sparked a wave of ethnically-based killings in the Darfur region of western Sudan.
