Another Failed Attempt to End the Violence in Sudan

Last week, clashes between rival Sudanese military forces continued in Khartoum and the western Darfur region, amid a fresh seven-day ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia that went into effect last Monday. The warring factions have been in conflict for more than five weeks, resulting in the death of 863 civilians, including at least 190 children.

Several attempts have been made to reach a truce, but each has stalled out. Failing to reach a lasting truce this time punctures the relative peace present in the capital, Khartoum, and further worsens the humanitarian crisis.

The biggest challenge is the fact that this power struggle pits two sizable and quasi-independent armed forces against each other. With this in mind, there are some strategies that could make the warring sides come to the bargaining table in good faith:

• More directly involving regional actors such as the African Union in the mediation process.
• Create an accountability framework for ceasefires and international humanitarian law violations by both sides.
• Introduce more sanctions on members of the rival military factions if violence continues.

If the conflict continues, Sudan will likely face a prolonged humanitarian disaster and interference with healthcare and other infrastructure. Furthermore, due to the country's high vulnerability to climate change, the beleaguered population may also face threat from famine, if fighting hinders the ability of farmers to complete planting season. To hedge against this, humanitarian organizations must step up their humanitarian assistance and continue to advocate for compliance with international humanitarian law.