JAKARTA - Paramilitary Commander Rapid Support Forces (RSF) who is involved in a civil war with the Sudanese military, announced a two-day ceasefire related to the arrival of Eid al-Adha.
General Mohamed Dagalo, better known for his nickname Hemedti, announced the ceasefire in an audio message posted online on Monday evening.
There was no immediate news from the Sudanese military regarding the announcement issued by the RSF Commander.
Meanwhile, the ceasefire was held on Tuesday and Wednesday, the peak of the 1444 Hijri Hajj conducted by millions of Muslims in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, reported The National News on June 27.
General Dagalo, who has not been seen in public since the war broke out in mid-April, said his men would only go to war to defend themselves during the ceasefire, which he described as an opportunity for tolerance and pardon of all levels of Sudan:
This is the first time that one of Sudan's warring parties has announced a unilateral ceasefire. Previously, several ceasefires mediated by the US and Saudi Arabia were announced during the war, all of which were violated or not fully complied with.
In addition to the ceasefire, the audio message of General Dagalo was also to respond to international criticism of allegations of violations committed by RSF against civilians during the war.
International criticism focused on last week's genocide attacks by RSF fighters and Arab militia allies against civilians in the western Darfur region, where they killed hundreds of people from the African Masalit tribe. Houses and businesses were burned, with fire at those trying to flee to neighboring Chad.
"We will handle violations firmly and seriously," General Dagalo said, announcing the establishment of a special battlefield court for fighters accused of committing violations to be tried by a court led by senior RSF officer.
Earlier, General Dagalo last week regretted the violence in Al Geneina City in Darfur, where more than 1,000 civilians were killed, but did not apologize.
In his latest audio post, he also warned soldiers and supporters of the ousted dictator Omar Al Bashir regime were trying to trigger civil war in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan.
Sudan's military war - the ongoing RSF has forced 2.5 million people to flee their homes, creating a major humanitarian crisis. Of those displaced, more than 500,000 have fled in neighboring countries.
There were no accurate estimates of the death toll among civilians, but the Ministry of Health last week said at least 3,000 people were killed and while the number injured was twice as much. The actual figure is believed to be much higher.
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