Sudanese government extends ceasefire for three months

July 2, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Sunday issued a decree to extend the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones until October 2017.

According to the presidential decree seen by Sudan Tribune, the decree comes in continuation of the “government’s approach to national dialogue and to allow the holdout groups to join the peace process”.

The Sudanese army has been fighting the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan, also known as the Two Areas since 2011 and a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

In June 2016, President Omer al-Bashir declared a unilateral four-month cessation of hostilities. In December, he extended the ceasefire for one month following a two-month extension declared in October.

Last April, the Sudanese Council of Ministers extended the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones for six months.

It is noteworthy that the SPLM-N, and two of Darfur movements, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) led by Minni Minnawi, and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) last October extended for six months the unilateral cessation of hostilities in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan they declared in October 2015 and April of 2016.

Following six days of talks in Addis Ababa last August, the armed movements and the government failed to conclude a deal on the security arrangements and humanitarian access in Darfur and the Two Areas prompting the African Union mediation to suspend the talks indefinitely.

(ST)