SAF-allied armed groups reject outcome of Cairo meeting for failure to condemn RSF  

CAIRO – Former rebel groups who are siding with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the ongoing conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have refused to endorse the Cairo peace conference’s final communique.

Their objection centers on the document’s lack of explicit condemnation of the RSF for alleged human rights abuses.

These groups include the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-North) led by Malik Agar, the deputy chair of the SAF-led Transitional Sovereign Council, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Darfur Governor Arko Minawi, and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Finance Minister Jibril Ibrahim, and the SLM faction led by Mustafa Tambour.

The conference, organized by Egypt on Saturday, aimed to foster a ceasefire and lasting peace in Sudan. While other Sudanese political forces expressed support for a ceasefire, disagreements over the final statement overshadowed the closing session.

The final document condemned “all violations committed in the war,” but the former rebel leaders felt it insufficient. They objected to the absence of a specific condemnation of the RSF, a paramilitary force that has been fighting SAF since April 2023.

Arko Minawi, Darfur Governor and leader of the SLM, expressed his disappointment with the outcome in a post on X, a social media platform formerly known as Twitter. He said that the final communique ignored the victims of the alleged RSF crimes.

“The final statement disappointed the Sudanese, especially the victims, so we are not interested in a statement that does not carry sympathy with the people,” Minawi, whose brother was killed by the RSF in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur State, last week, wrote.

Jibril Ibrahim, Sudan’s Finance Minister and leader of JEM, rejected the final communique entirely. He argued that the RSF’s actions have worsened the lives of Sudanese citizens and should equality be condemned.

“The final statement did not consider the feelings of the people whom the militia subjected to various kinds of torture, and it did not say who made the people poorer and hungry by obstructing food from reaching them. Therefore, we chose not to be a party to it,” Ibrahim stated.

Mustafa Tambour, leader of another SLM faction allied with the SAF, made more controversial accusations. He claimed the conference attendees included the Janjaweed, another name used in Sudan for the RSF, and representatives from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Tambour called upon all factions supporting the SAF to immediately return to Port Sudan.

“The Cairo Forum gathered 95% of the conspiracy threads (FFC, Janjaweed and UAE). Unfortunately, its purpose became clear in the opening session. Therefore, we ask those who support the army to boycott and return immediately to Port Sudan out of respect for themselves and the victims. Commander Mustafa Tambour,” Tambour stated.

Multiple sources informed Sudans Post yesterday that the former rebel movements are expected to issue a joint statement further clarifying their position.

Despite the breakdown in talks regarding the RSF, the conference did achieve some consensus.

Participants agreed on the necessity of an immediate ceasefire with mechanisms for monitoring and enforcement. They also reaffirmed their commitment to the Jeddah Declaration, which called for troop withdrawal from civilian areas.

The conference also emphasized the importance of delivering humanitarian aid, protecting aid workers, and preserving Sudan as a unified nation based on citizenship and a federal democratic system.

Egyptian Foreign Minister and Immigration Badr Abdelatty, in his opening speech, stressed the importance of respecting Sudan’s sovereignty and avoiding interference in its internal affairs during the political process. He also emphasized the need for a unified Sudanese military for national security purposes.