In a critical move that could determine the immediate trajectory of Sudan’s brutal two-year-old conflict, the nation’s army-backed Security and Defence Council is convening to deliberate on the latest ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States.

A government source, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the deliberations, confirmed the Tuesday meeting, which follows an intense period of diplomatic pressure and dramatic military escalation on the ground. The outcome of the council’s vote represents a high-stakes moment for a nation teetering on the edge of complete collapse, where the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has already exacted a devastating toll on the civilian population and triggered one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises.

The necessity of the American initiative underscores a conflict that has relentlessly spiraled outward, claiming tens of thousands of lives and shattering the livelihoods of millions who have been internally displaced or forced to flee the country entirely.

This war, initiated just over two years ago, has expanded its geographical reach in recent days, sparking fears among international observers and humanitarian organizations of an even more profound catastrophe.

The renewed push for a ceasefire comes from the US administration under Donald Trump, which has increasingly focused its diplomatic efforts on brokering an end to the hostilities after successfully navigating other regional flashpoints in Africa and the Middle East.

However, the path to peace remains fraught; the army-aligned authorities previously rejected an earlier US-led truce attempt, primarily because it stipulated that both the military and the RSF would be excluded from any subsequent transitional political process, a condition deemed unacceptable by the current de facto government.

The immediate catalyst for the heightened diplomatic scramble is the RSF’s recent, highly strategic military success. The paramilitary group recently captured El-Fasher, a key city that represented the army’s last significant stronghold within the vast Darfur region.

This victory has not only shifted the balance of power but also appears to have set the stage for further assaults, with reports suggesting the RSF is now preparing to advance on the central Kordofan region. The fall of El-Fasher itself was marked by scenes of terror and violence, painting a clear picture of the brutality that has come to define the war.

Eyewitnesses fleeing the fallen Darfur capital have provided chilling accounts of the violence that followed the military takeover. One individual, Mohamed Abdullah, 56, recounted being intercepted by RSF fighters just hours before the city’s final surrender.

He described how the paramilitaries stopped him and others, “demanded our phones, money, everything,” and subjected them to thorough searches. Fleeing westward toward Tawila, a distance of approximately 70 kilometres, Abdullah witnessed the horrific toll of the conflict firsthand, observing “a body left on the street that looked like it had been eaten by a dog.” These personal tragedies are set against a backdrop of wider reports detailing mass killings, rampant sexual violence, targeted attacks on aid workers, widespread looting, and numerous abductions in the aftermath of the offensive.

The global legal community has taken note, with the International Criminal Court on Monday expressing “profound alarm and deepest concern” over these accounts, issuing a stark warning that such egregious acts “may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

Amid the escalating bloodshed, US envoy to Africa, Massad Boulos, has engaged in a fresh round of regional shuttle diplomacy to lay the groundwork for a viable truce. His itinerary included meetings on Sunday in neighbouring Egypt with Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, followed by a consultation with the Arab League on Monday.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister, according to a statement, emphasized “the importance of concerted efforts to reach a humanitarian truce and a ceasefire throughout Sudan, paving the way for a comprehensive political process in the country.” The regional body’s chief, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, was briefed by Boulos on Washington’s latest efforts aimed at halting the warfare, expediting the delivery of essential aid, and facilitating the long-overdue initiation of a political process.

These recent efforts are an extension of months of complex negotiations led by the so-called Quad group, an assembly comprising the United States, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, all focused on securing a meaningful truce in the protracted 30-month conflict.

As recently as September, these four powers had proposed a detailed plan that included an initial three-month humanitarian ceasefire, which would then transition into a permanent ceasefire, to be followed by a nine-month period of transition leading to civilian rule.

That plan, however, was immediately rejected by the army-aligned government, illustrating the immense difficulty in bridging the political chasm between the warring factions, even in the face of escalating humanitarian disaster.

The weight of this catastrophe has drawn sharp condemnations from the highest levels of the international community. Speaking at a forum held in Qatar, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered an urgent plea on Tuesday, declaring that the “horrifying crisis in Sudan… is spiralling out of control.” He called directly upon the warring parties to “come to the negotiating table, bring an end to this nightmare of violence now.” That global anguish is mirrored on the streets of the capital.

Despite Khartoum being firmly under army control, an anti-paramilitary protest on Monday saw children participating, holding up handwritten signs that starkly articulated the populace’s despair, with messages like: “Do not kill children, do not kill women,” and “The militia is killing the women of El-Fasher with no mercy.”

Despite these repeated international and domestic appeals, the two warring sides, both of which face credible accusations of committing atrocities, have thus far remained recalcitrant, persistently ignoring calls for a cessation of hostilities. The conflict has also become a theatre for regional geopolitical maneuvering, with reports from observers and international bodies indicating external support for both sides. The United Nations has accused the UAE of supplying arms to the RSF allegations that the Emirates have consistently denied.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese army is reported to have received material support from a coalition of regional powers, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran.

The recent territorial shifts, cemented by the RSF’s control over all five state capitals in Darfur, have lent credence to fears that Sudan is effectively facing a de facto partition along an east-west axis, with the paramilitary forces dominating Darfur and parts of the south, while the army retains control over the north, east, and central regions along the vital Nile and Red Sea corridors.

The council’s Tuesday meeting, therefore, is not merely a vote on a temporary truce, but a defining moment for the future sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation.