The Sudanese foreign ministry claimed on Saturday that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in their country had been called a “rebel force” by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), marking the first time the name has been used by an international organization.
The OIC Council of Foreign Ministers designated the position in a decision that was adopted following their meeting in Cameroon, according to the ministry.
Since April 2023, the RSF and the Sudanese army have been engaged in combat that has resulted in thousands of deaths and over 4 million displaced persons.When asked for a response, the RSF did not reply right away.
According to a statement from the foreign ministry, the resolution emphasized “the importance of preserving Sudan’s security, stability, and unity” and declared the OIC’s “full solidarity with Sudan in confronting the ongoing armed conflict.”
The resolution further said that “the basis for any negotiation process” was the Jeddah platform, an American-Saudi initiative that facilitated multiple rounds of negotiations between the two sides earlier this year.
Acting Foreign Minister Hussein Awad Ali declared that Sudan will keep up its efforts in international and regional fora to expose the RSF’s “war crimes and violations,” calling the designation a triumph for Sudanese diplomacy.