Sudan’s Burhan Announces Ceasefire across Country

Chairman of the Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Fattah Al-Burhan, on Wednesday issued a constitutional decree announcing a ceasefire across Sudan.

This comes after Al-Burhan presided over the peace negotiations between the Sudanese government and the armed movements in Juba on Monday.

During the meeting, they announced a new round of peace talks between the Sudanese transitional government and the armed movements that was launched amid a regional and international presence.

Al-Burhan said in a speech during the opening session of the negotiations, that the armed movements are a part of the Sudanese revolution makers, expressing his optimism in the peace.

He also expressed confidence in Juba’s ability to host Sudan’s peace talks as the head of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) renewed his call to discuss their reservations and fully implement the Juba Declaration.

It is noteworthy that al-Burhan  has sworn in to lead a joint military-civilian body, which is agreed to run the country for a little over three years until elections can be held.

The Council was established under a power-sharing agreement between the military and the protesters amid growing concerns that the political crisis could have ignited a civil war.

Earlier, Burhan chaired a military council that took over after ousting President Omar al-Bashir in April following months of protests against his three-decade-rule.

Sudan’s ousted President has recently appeared inside a caged dock in a courtroom during his first appearance in a trial over charges of possessing foreign currency, corruption and receiving gifts illegally.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant for his arrest to answer charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity but Sudan has insisted it would not hand him over.

Thousands of people were killed, maimed and tortured in Darfur.

The United Nations estimated that between 200,000 and 400,000 people died in the conflict, with a further 2.7 million displaced. Militia formed and directed by Al-Bashir are blamed for the worst atrocities.