US Pursues Diplomatic Push for Humanitarian Truce in Sudan, Says Trump Adviser

The US is actively working with regional and international partners on a diplomatic push to secure a humanitarian truce in Sudan, which has been engulfed in a three-year civil war, according to a senior White House adviser. Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump's adviser for Arab and African affairs, spoke to Sky News Arabia regarding Washington's collaborative efforts with fellow Quad countries—the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt—as well as Turkey, Qatar, and European nations to establish a new path toward a ceasefire.

"Today we are striving, together with our brothers in the Quad, namely Egypt, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, as well as our brothers in Qatar and Turkey and in Europe, towards a new peaceful path," Mr Boulos stated in an interview broadcast on Saturday. The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated the nation of 50 million people and severely battered its economy, while international efforts aimed at ending the war have struggled to secure a lasting cessation of hostilities.

Asked whether the US could force open humanitarian corridors, Mr Boulos noted that Washington was collaborating with international and regional partners on the matter. He emphasized that the primary goal remains securing a humanitarian truce as an initial step toward a broader political settlement, reiterating continued US support for the "comprehensive peace plan" he announced in February. The plan centers on five key pillars: an immediate humanitarian truce, sustained humanitarian access and civilian protection, a permanent ceasefire, a political transition to a civilian-led government, and post-war reconstruction.

"There is no military solution in Sudan," Mr Boulos said. "The only solution is a peaceful solution." A UN fact-finding report released this month revealed that the SAF utilized foreign-supplied drones in operations that harmed civilians. While the report noted that external players had also supported the RSF by enabling weapons transfers, it cast a harsher light on the actions of the SAF.

As part of its strategy to end the conflict, the US has pushed to expand an existing UN arms embargo in Darfur to cover the entire country, specifically targeting the use of drones, which Mr Boulos described as a defining feature of the war. "It is fundamentally a war of drones," he stated. The UN Security Council recently granted members a one-month window to discuss the US proposal, allowing time for further negotiations to widen the embargo rather than simply renewing existing sanctions for another year.

Mr Boulos clarified that Washington does not view this step as a failure and intends to utilize the additional time to negotiate with UN Security Council members, including Russia and China, which had previously opposed expanding the measures. The US and its partners aim to halt all foreign military support for both warring sides in Sudan. Washington has already imposed sanctions on individuals, groups, and foreign companies accused of supporting either faction, with additional measures targeting the illicit gold trade and the use of chemical weapons.

Mr Boulos noted that both the current administration of President Donald Trump and the previous administration concluded that chemical weapons have been used in Sudan. He stated that this issue must now be addressed through the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, adding that the US has offered technical assistance and that the SAF "must address this matter with the [OPCW]." This month, the SAF faced new evidence regarding its chemical weapons use, following reports published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Euronews revealing that the SAF not only used chemical weapons in the war but also constructed a concealed stockpile.

With both sides accused of war crimes, the US has heightened pressure on the warring commanders—SAF leader Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and RSF chief Gen Mohamed Dagalo—maintaining that neither should play a role in governing the country post-war. While the RSF stated it accepts a 90-day humanitarian truce, it rejected certain proposed withdrawal arrangements, whereas Gen Al Burhan vowed to continue fighting until the RSF is defeated.

Mr Boulos emphasized that opposition to both sides is a core component of the Quad's agreed roadmap, leaving it to the Sudanese people to determine their post-war government. He stressed that while the US does not formally recognize the SAF-backed government, it engages with it as a de facto entity. "At the same time, we do not recognise any parallel governments and we oppose partition," he warned, cautioning against a "repeat of the Libyan scenario in Sudan." He concluded that while political dialogue must be inclusive, groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and other extremists should be excluded, ensuring broad national participation from Sudan's diverse civil society groups and political parties.