The Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group has said it is open to talks on ending hostilities after over two years of war with the army

Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group says it has accepted a US-backed proposal for a humanitarian ceasefire in its war with the Sudanese army, which UN agencies say has devastated cities, crippled healthcare systems, and disrupted the country's food supply.

The RSF announced the decision on Thursday, weeks after seizing the city of Al-Fashir - the last major army stronghold in Darfur - following an 18-month siege. It said Washington had coordinated the plan with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. The mediators have outlined a three-month humanitarian pause leading into a nine-month political process.

"The Rapid Support Forces also looks forward to implementing the agreement and immediately commencing discussions on the arrangements for a cessation of hostilities and the fundamental principles guiding the political process in Sudan, in a manner that addresses the root causes of the conflicts," a spokesperson for the armed group said in a statement.

A Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) official cited by AP said the army will agree to a truce only if the RSF lays down its weapons and withdraws from civilian areas. On Wednesday, SAF commander Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan vowed to "avenge the martyrs and all those who have suffered at the hands of the Rapid Support Militia in Al-Fashir, Al Geneina, Al Jazirah, and every place they have violated."

International pressure has intensified since the fall of Al-Fashir. The UN Security Council has condemned the RSF assault on the city and warned of a heightened risk of large-scale, ethnically motivated atrocities. The International Criminal Court has said ongoing violence in and around the city could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The warring parties have previously agreed to several ceasefire proposals amid a conflict now in its third year, but none have held.

In June, at least five UN aid workers were killed and several others injured when an armed groupattackeda humanitarian convoy en route to Al-Fashir.

(RT.com)