Biden urges Sudan's warring parties to resume peace talks, allow humanitarian access

WASHINGTON

US President Joe Biden urged Sudan's warring parties Tuesday to re-engage in negotiations and facilitate humanitarian access amid a war that has been ongoing for more than 17 months.

"I call on the belligerents responsible for Sudanese suffering—the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—to pull back their forces, facilitate unhindered humanitarian access, and re-engage in negotiations to end this war," Biden said in a rare statement addressing the war in Sudan.

"The RSF must stop their assault that is disproportionately harming Sudanese civilians. The SAF must stop indiscriminate bombings that are destroying civilian lives and infrastructure, he said.

Biden also called on both sides to "immediately allow unhindered humanitarian access to all areas of Sudan."

"Let it be clear: the United States will not abandon our commitment to the people of Sudan, who deserve freedom, peace and justice," he said.

"We call for all parties to this conflict to end this violence and refrain from fueling it, for the future of Sudan and for all of the Sudanese people."

Since mid-April last year, the SAF and the paramilitary RSF have been engaged in a war that has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and nearly 10 million displaced persons and refugees, according to the United Nations.

There are growing calls by the international community and the UN to end the war to prevent a humanitarian disaster that is pushing millions towards famine and death due to food shortages caused by the fighting, which has spread to 13 out of 18 states.