As Sudan surpasses its 100th day of violent clashes, Youssef Ezat, the political advisor to the Rapid Support Forces commander, has made a significant statement, emphasizing the need for peace in the country. Amidst the ongoing conflict between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the crisis has spread to Darfur.
Ezat’s remarks were made during talks in Togo, West Africa, as part of efforts to prevent further escalation of violence in the Darfur region. He expressed the readiness of the Rapid Support Forces to participate in any peace negotiations that aim to unite the people and end the war in Darfur and Sudan at large. Emphasizing the urgency for a new future marked by peace, development, and equality, Ezat underscored the importance of achieving peace in Sudan.
In western Darfur, the region that has endured a decade of brutal warfare, the situation has reached its most violent phase with the outbreak of the new conflict. In Togo, talks also focused on devising a roadmap to halt the spread of violence in the region.
Rebel leader Nuri Abdullah, representing one of the main factions in Darfur, stated that while a state of chaos exists, it has not yet escalated into a full-scale civil war, an outcome they are striving to avoid. The meeting in Lomé also discussed plans for the reopening of the El Geneina airport in Darfur under the control of the Rapid Support Forces, aiming to facilitate humanitarian aid efforts.
Activists have recently held the Rapid Support Forces and their allied Arab militias accountable for atrocities committed in their stronghold, including reports of rape, looting, and mass killings of ethnic minorities. Responding to these grave accusations, the International Criminal Court’s Chief Prosecutor, Karim Khan, launched an investigation into the violence in Darfur following calls from human rights organizations to examine cases of looting, sexual violence, and escalating ethnic conflicts.