Sudan rivals sign short-term ceasefire pact in Jeddah

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JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia and the US announced that representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces signed an agreement on a short-term ceasefire and humanitarian arrangements in Jeddah on Saturday.

The short-term ceasefire, which enters into force 48 hours after the signing of the agreement, shall remain in effect for seven days and may be extended with the agreement of both parties, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Under the agreement, the parties agreed to facilitate the delivery and distribution of humanitarian assistance, restore essential services, and withdraw forces from hospitals and essential public facilities.

The parties also agreed to facilitate the safe passage of humanitarian actors and commodities, allowing goods to flow unimpeded from ports of entry to populations in need.

Both parties have conveyed to the Saudi and US facilitators their commitment not to seek military advantage during the 48-hour notification period after signing the agreement and prior to the start of the ceasefire. The ceasefire will go into effect at 09:45 p.m., Khartoum time, on May 22.

The agreement reached in Jeddah was signed by the parties and will be supported by a US-Saudi and international-supported ceasefire monitoring mechanism. This short-term ceasefire is in line with the step-by-step approach agreed by the parties.

Saudi Arabia and the US demanded the parties to fully abide by their commitments under this agreement for a short-term humanitarian ceasefire to provide them with urgently needed relief.