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Rabat – The war in Sudan has created “the world’s largest humanitarian crisis,” according to Massad Boulos, President Donald Trump’s envoy for Africa, who spoke during a recent visit to Doha, Qatar.
In an interview with AFP, Boulos said that “the conflict in Sudan, from a humanitarian standpoint, is today the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, and the largest global humanitarian catastrophe.”
“Particularly what happened in El-Fasher these last two or three weeks. We all saw those videos, those reports. These atrocities are absolutely unacceptable. This must stop very quickly.”
Trump’s envoy’s message is clear that the US decries genocidal acts taking place in Sudan’s El Fasher.
Push for three-month humanitarian truce
Boulos said the US and its mediating partners are calling on both warring sides to agree to a “three-month humanitarian truce.”
“We urge them to accept this proposal and implement it immediately,” he added.
In September, the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt jointly called for a humanitarian truce, followed by a permanent ceasefire and a transition to civilian rule. The countries stated that neither warring party should participate in this transition.
Humanitarian concerns take priority
Boulos said the US hopes to achieve “a breakthrough in the coming weeks” with its partners on this broader plan, which includes a transition to civilian government. “The absolute priority remains for now the humanitarian aspect and the humanitarian truce,” he clarified.
The Sudanese government, aligned with the army, has indicated it wants to continue the war following a meeting about the ceasefire proposal. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed to accept the humanitarian truce while continuing their offensive.
At the end of October, the RSF captured El Fasher after an eighteen-month siege, taking complete control of the vast Darfur region in western Sudan. The capture of this city came with reports of multiple atrocities against civilians.
The situation in Sudan
The northeastern African country has long been subject to the ongoing humanitarian crisis, even before the war erupted in April 2023.
Around 15.8 million Sudanese have long been in need of aid. A situation that has worsened since the eruption of the war in 2023, leading to the displacement of over 15 million people and leaving more than half of Sudan’s population (30.4 million) in need of humanitarian support.
On the international scene, the country has the largest recorded and fastest displacement crisis, as well as the largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded.
The war has left civilians subject to the repercussions of the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF.
NGOs’ reports have indicated that civilians are subject to sexual violence, among other human rights violations, from fighters on both sides.
The UN and local authorities have reported that more than 20,000 people have been killed, while research from US scholars, however, estimates the death toll at around 130,000.
