Sudanese militia group accused of war crimes agrees to a ceasefire

"A Sudanese paramilitary group accused of killing thousands of unarmed civilians in an ethnically motivated massacre has agreed to a truce. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which is facing mounting criticism over apparent war crimes committed by its fighters in the city of El Fasher last month, said it had agreed to a humanitarian ceasefire put forward by the quad countries of the US, Egypt, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Officials involved in ceasefire discussions say the agreement is for a three-month truce across Sudan."

"Hours before news emerged that the group had agreed to a ceasefire, satellite images appeared to show its recruits hiding bodies in mass graves. The ceasefire agreement is thought to have involved the RSF's principal backer, the UAE, which has faced criticism for allegedly supplying weapons and mercenaries used in the capture of El Fasher. The UAE denies the claims despite evidence being presented in UN reports and elsewhere."

"The ceasefire announcement arrived amid more grim updates from Darfur, the vast region of west Sudan where El Fasher is located. A report from Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab, which is monitoring war crimes in El Fasher, said the RSF appeared to be conducting systematic body disposal, with mass graves being dug in trenches and pits. The extent of the massacre is not clear, although the activist group Avaaz says its Sudan team believes tens of thousands of civilians have been slaughtered in the city."

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to a humanitarian ceasefire proposed by the US, Egypt, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, reportedly covering three months across Sudan. Satellite images appeared to show RSF recruits hiding bodies in mass graves hours before the ceasefire announcement. The RSF faces accusations of ethnically motivated massacres and war crimes in El Fasher, Darfur, and its principal backer, the UAE, has been accused of supplying weapons and mercenaries, a claim the UAE denies. Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab reported systematic body disposal, activist group estimates cite tens of thousands killed, and ICC prosecutors are collecting evidence.

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