KHARTOUM — Documents reviewed by Reuters indicate the Sudanese army has made a full pullback of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces from cities a precondition for accepting a U.S.-backed plan to halt the country’s three-year civil war.
Deal terms and the sticking point
The U.S. proposal, circulated last month, sought an immediate 90-day humanitarian truce to create space for negotiating a permanent cease-fire and a civilian-led transition toward elections. It also envisaged a U.N.-supported mechanism to oversee limited RSF withdrawals, prioritizing areas such as North Darfur and North Kordofan where recent fighting and drone strikes have been intense.
But senior Sudanese officials who reviewed the documents told Reuters the army accepted most elements of the plan while rejecting the idea that withdrawals be only partial. The army insists the deal must require the RSF to vacate all cities it occupied since May 11, 2023, a demand that has long been an obstacle in earlier mediation attempts.
"the withdrawal of (the RSF) from all the cities it has occupied since May 11, 2023,"
What the U.S. asked and what the army seeks
The U.S. text also called for steps to create a unified national army, with arrangements for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration. It proposed a Sudanese, civilian-led political process that would exclude the Muslim Brotherhood and militia actors accused of atrocities.
U.S. officials initially told the U.N. Security Council that Sudan had rejected the offer. But Massad Boulos, the U.S. senior adviser for Arab and African affairs, later posted that he was "extremely pleased" to report that army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan "has apparently accepted — rather than rejected — the latest peace proposal."
Humanitarian stakes and past failures
The conflict has displaced millions, killed hundreds of thousands by various estimates, and contributed to widespread hunger and disease across Sudan. U.N. experts have accused the RSF of committing atrocities in some areas, language that has heightened international concern and complicated negotiations.
- U.S. proposal: 90-day humanitarian truce, U.N.-led limited withdrawals, DDR measures and a civilian political process.
- Army position: Acceptance of most proposals but insists on full RSF withdrawal from all occupied cities.
- Diplomatic challenge: The RSF’s urban foothold and previous failed negotiations make any compromise difficult to secure.
| Proposal element | U.S. text | Army stance |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Immediate 90-day humanitarian truce | Accepted |
| RSF withdrawals | Limited, prioritized withdrawals | Full withdrawal from all occupied cities demanded |
| Security sector reform | Unified national army; DDR plans | Accepted |
| Political transition | Civilian-led; exclusion of Muslim Brotherhood and certain militias | Accepted |
U.S. and Sudanese foreign ministry officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to Reuters. The evolving posture of the army leadership, combined with long-standing resistance around RSF roles in cities, suggests U.S. mediators face a delicate task: securing concessions that are concrete enough to protect civilians while persuading parties to cede strategically valuable urban ground.
The outcome will matter for more than Sudanese politics. A workable agreement could stabilize a part of the world where famine, displacement and regional spillover have drawn sustained international attention, while failure would likely prolong civilian suffering and complicate U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region.
