Nyala, February 12 (Darfur24)
The Sudanese Founding Alliance (Ta’sis) welcomed a recent call by a five-party international mechanism urging de-escalation in Sudan, describing it as an important step toward reducing harm to civilians, while criticizing the statement for not identifying those responsible for attacks cited in the conflict.
The Quintet on Sudan, comprising the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the League of Arab States, the European Union, and the United Nations, issued a statement on Wednesday expressing concern over continued escalation and calling for an immediate halt to further military actions.
In a press statement released Thursday, the alliance said the Quintet referred to drone strikes affecting civilians in Kordofan and Blue Nile states but did not attribute responsibility. The alliance accused the Sudanese army of targeting civilian areas, citing incidents it said occurred in Payam Jalda during Christmas celebrations in November 2025, as well as strikes on schools, markets, and hospitals — including Al-Zarq Hospital in January 2026 — in addition to locations in Darfur, Kordofan, and Khartoum.
The alliance also said the Quintet statement addressed obstruction of humanitarian aid and attacks on relief convoys without naming those responsible. It accused the army of targeting aid convoys in areas including Zalingi, Jebra Sheikh, the Adre crossing, Mellit, and Al-Kuma, as well as facilities belonging to the World Food Programme. The statement also referenced allegations that some aid convoys were used to transport weapons and ammunition.
Regarding El Fasher, the alliance said the Quintet highlighted civilian suffering in the city but did not specify who had drawn it into fighting. The alliance accused the army of pushing armed groups into military operations there.
The Sudanese Founding Alliance added that the Quintet statement did not address what it described as its own civilian protection measures, including evacuation calls and facilitating access to food and medicine. It said humanitarian truce initiatives announced by alliance leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo had been rejected.
The alliance called on regional and international mediators to adopt what it described as greater transparency in identifying parties responsible for prolonging the conflict and obstructing peace efforts.
For its part, the Quintet urged Sudan’s warring sides to seize opportunities presented by ongoing mediation efforts aimed at achieving a humanitarian truce and reducing hostilities, to prevent further civilian harm and enable life-saving aid delivery. It said such efforts should align with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2736 issued on June 13, 2024.