Hamdok Calls on Sudanese Army to Accept Truce and Warns of State Collapse

In a video address directed to the Sudanese people, former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok stated that "the machinery of war is relentlessly taking Sudanese lives," adding that "millions of our noble people are enduring suffering beyond description," and that "hundreds of thousands of civilians are being killed and displaced every month."

A Call to Stop the Bleeding

Hamdok described the conflict as no longer merely an armed struggle between two parties, but "a comprehensive war targeting the Sudanese person's life, dignity, identity, and future," pointing to "documented evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity" which include the use of food as a weapon, sexual violence, indiscriminate aerial bombardment, and reports of the use of chemical weapons.

In a direct plea to the warring factions, Hamdok said: "I issue an earnest call to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF): Stop this war immediately... Stop this bleeding that is consuming the nation... We call on the Armed Forces to follow the example of the RSF in publicly welcoming peace efforts and an unconditional ceasefire."

Hamdok warned that "the continuation of the war paves the way for a comprehensive social and economic collapse and creates an entire generation without education, care, or a future," adding that Sudan could turn "into an epicenter and fertile ground for terrorist groups" if the state collapses.

Five Steps to Save Sudan

In the context of his speech, Hamdok thanked the Quartet countries (USA, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt) for "renewed attention to the Sudanese file after a long period of neglect," asserting that this momentum must not stop at mere statements but evolve into practical steps to save what remains of Sudan.

He called upon the local, regional, and international communities to coordinate all current initiatives and adopt five urgent steps he deemed essential to halt the collapse:

1. Immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

2. Guaranteeing unrestricted access to humanitarian aid.

3. Protecting civilians, stopping indiscriminate bombing, and holding those responsible for violations accountable.

4. Mobilizing international and regional resources to bridge the relief funding gap.

5. Launching a cross-border humanitarian operation and establishing a special regional mechanism under the UN to ensure the continuity of aid.

Hamdok concluded by affirming that stopping the war is the "only gateway" to returning to a democratic path based on the slogans of the December Revolution: "Freedom, Peace, and Justice."

Sudan has been witnessing a power struggle between the SAF and the paramilitary RSF since 2023.