By Ollus Ndomu
Amid warnings from top UN and African Union officials about the deepening crisis in Sudan, senior members of the U.S. Congress are urging President Biden to weigh sanctions against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), one of the warring Sudanese military factions, citing “gross violations of human rights.”
The call for action came in a letter addressed to President Biden from the ranking Democratic and Republican members of the Senate and House foreign relations committees.
Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, chair of the Senate Committee, also appealed for increased assistance to war-affected civilians in Sudan and neighboring countries during a Senate floor session.
In an interview with Dabanga, U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello expressed disappointment in both parties’ handling of the crisis, stressing the urgent need for respect for the Sudanese people.
He welcomed Saudi Arabia’s announcement of forthcoming peace talks but cautioned that success would require the participation of all parties, including backers of the warring factions.
However, CSIS senior fellow Cameron Hudson warned that the exclusion of key stakeholders, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), by Saudi Arabia could jeopardize the peace talks’ prospects.
Hudson emphasized the importance of involving all relevant parties in the negotiation process for meaningful progress toward resolving the conflict.
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