Sudan welcomes UN envoy’s initiative for prisoner exchange with RSF

June 25, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem said on Thursday that the government welcomes an initiative by United Nations personal envoy Pekka Haavisto to facilitate a prisoner exchange between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The proposal by Haavisto, which has not yet been officially announced, represents the first publicized international effort targeting a prisoner swap since the civil war erupted in April 2023.

Salem said in a press statement that Khartoum welcomes the initiative, which calls for close cooperation between the Sudanese government, the UN envoy’s office, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The minister added that the government remains committed to protecting its citizens across the country and will adhere to established legal and international frameworks governing prisoner-of-war exchanges.

Earlier this month, the Sudanese government sent an official letter to the United Nations requesting intervention to secure the release of more than 20,000 prisoners it claims are being held by the RSF in North and South Darfur states.

The RSF is believed to hold thousands of additional detainees in other facilities across the Darfur and Kordofan regions.

The Sudanese government has not disclosed the number of RSF combatants captured by its forces over the course of the conflict.