U.S. weighs Sudan action before year-end, sources say
December 3, 2025 (ADDIS ABABA) – The United States is preparing “decisive measures” to end the war in Sudan before the end of the year, diplomatic sources said, following a directive from President Donald Trump to halt the conflict.
The move comes after Trump announced last week that work had begun to resolve the crisis and follows a request for direct intervention from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
An African Union official and a Western diplomat told the Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that Washington is advancing a roadmap comprising military, humanitarian, and political tracks.
According to sources and reports by Al Arabiya, the proposal envisages a broad humanitarian operation to restore aid and services nationwide, overseen by an international committee tasked with monitoring a ceasefire and securing the return of civilians.
The political and military tracks call for a transition process led by civilian forces—excluding Islamists and the ousted regime—beginning with a truce. The plan mandates comprehensive military reform, including the removal of “Muslim Brotherhood” elements from the army, the integration of armed groups, and the establishment of a unified professional military under civilian authority.
A Western diplomat likened the anticipated U.S. steps to “those taken against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,” suggesting Washington could impose asset freezes and immediate sanctions on individuals linked to the war.
A comprehensive accountability file regarding atrocities, particularly in Darfur, is also being prepared, the diplomat said.
Regarding negotiations, the diplomat denied reports that a “second paper” on a ceasefire had been presented to the Sudanese army. He clarified that a document recently cited by the army commander was a response from mediators in Cairo, adding that the army chief had “recently understood everything.”
Sudan’s Security and Defense Council recently tasked a committee with responding to the U.S. proposal, delivering its reply to the team of U.S. envoy Massad Boulos.
Meanwhile, concerns over the alleged use of chemical weapons have prompted calls for international intervention.
Shehab Ibrahim, a leader in the Civil Democratic Alliance of Revolutionary Forces (Somoud), told the Sudan Tribune that the U.N. arms embargo on Darfur could be expanded to cover all of Sudan, drawing parallels to the Syrian conflict.
International law expert Hatem El-Sanhouri warned that the use of chemical agents constitutes a war crime. He said the refusal of the Port Sudan government to admit a fact-finding mission from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) could trigger sanctions under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, potentially leading to international military intervention.
The African Union official said efforts were underway to coordinate regional and international positions to “prevent external military or political support that fuels the continued fighting.”
Envoy Boulos held meetings last week with officials in the United Arab Emirates, which Sudan accuses of arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a charge Abu Dhabi denies.