Sudanese armed groups signatory to Juba peace deal declares war against RSF

PORT SUDAN – The Sudanese armed movements, signatories to the 2020 Juba Peace Agreement mediated by South Sudan, on Thursday said they have ended their neutrality in the ongoing conflict and declared military operations “in all fronts” against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In a statement from Port Sudan, the groups comprising SLM/A-MM of Arko Minawi, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) of Gibril Ibrahim, and others accused the RSF of repeatedly violating the terms of the Juba Agreement, engaging in human rights abuses against civilians, and threatening Sudan’s unity.

“The Rapid Support Forces militia’s transgressions in killing innocent citizens based on ethnicity, establishing serious prisons in Khartoum, Am Roaba, Nyala, Zalingei, and most recently in Um Kadada locality in Giraida, on fabricated political charges, have increased,” they said.

“In light of the threat to Sudan’s unity, the repeated militia attacks on cities and villages, assaults on innocent citizens, killings, and torture, and the imminent threat to humanitarian and commercial convoys by attempts to block supply routes to cities and regions, all these developments make us announce the end of our neutrality and declare our participation in military operations on all fronts without hesitation,” they said in a statement.

The announcement today is a significant development for Sudan. Since the start of war between the RSF and the army in April this year, the groups have remained neutral.

In their statement, the groups emphasized their commitment to Sudan’s unity and called upon the people of Darfur, in particular, to stand united against what they said is a “foreign project” to divide Sudan.

“We affirm our absolute commitment to Sudan’s unity, both land and people. We will never relinquish it; it is our essence and soul, and we will never allow the passing of any agenda seeking Sudan’s current dismantling,” they said.

“We appeal to our people in Sudan, in general, and Darfur, in particular, to unify the internal front to confront the division threat, firmly opposing all internal and foreign conspiracies to dismantle Sudan. We will never allow Darfur to be a gateway to Sudan’s disintegration,” they emphasized.

They also called on “some regional supporting countries of the Rapid Support Forces militia in their war against Sudan to immediately refrain from blatant interference in Sudan’s affairs.”