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Sudan signs peace deal with rebel groups to end 17 years of conflict

A Sudanese protester with the national flag in Khartoum A Sudanese protester with the national flag in Khartoum Agence France-Presse

31 August 2020

Sudan signed a peace agreement with armed rebel groups that provides for the dismantling of rebel forces and their integration into the national army

On Monday, August 31st, Sudan's government agreed to sign the peace agreement at a ceremony in Juba, capital of South Sudan, with the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of rebel groups from the western region of Darfur and the southern States of South Kordofan and Blue Nile. The agreement is a significant breakthrough to solve 17 years of conflict that caused 300,000 deaths in Darfur, according to the United Nations. The final agreement concerns issues related to security, land ownership, power sharing, return of displaced people, and the dismantling of rebel forces with their integration into the national army.

Rebels fought against the former leader Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court over charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. The peace with the rebels was a great success for the transitional government of Sudan, which came to power in the months following the overthrow of Bashir in April 2019.

The signing groups include the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Minni Minawi's Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), both of the western region of Darfur, and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Malik Agar, present in South Kordofan and Blue Nile. However, a Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)  faction led by Abdelwahid Nour and a wing of the SPLM-N headed by Abdelaziz al-Hilu refused to take part.  Both military chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok were present at the ceremony, while South Sudan President Salva Kiir oversaw it.

 

To know more, please read:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/sudan-signs-peace-deal-rebel-groups-darfur-200831091517458.html

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/sudan-rebels-agree-key-peace-deal-17-year-conflict-report-200830153100401.html

https://www.france24.com/en/20200831-sudan-reaches-historic-peace-deal-with-rebel-groups

 

Author: Carla Pintor

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