In Sudan, the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said his forces are open to an immediate, unconditional ceasefire. Dagalo, known as Hemedti, made the declaration Tuesday as he signed an agreement with the newly formed civilian bloc, the Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces, or Taqaddum, which is led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo: “From here, we apologize to all our people in Sudan, in all its states — east, west, north, south and center — for all the violations that took place. … We are now extending our hands for peace. If they want peace, welcome. Nothing will make us leave Khartoum except peace.”

This comes as Hemedti has been touring neighboring countries, meeting with the heads of Uganda, Ethiopia and Djibouti, in what appears to be an attempt to gain legitimacy as Sudan’s leader ahead of any cessation of violence. Since the war between the RSF and the Sudanese army broke out last April, over 7 million people have been displaced within Sudan, making it the largest internal displacement crisis in the world. Another 1.3 million have fled the country. Some 30 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Reports of mass killings and ethnic cleansing have been mounting in Darfur. Activists say the Sudanese people and its pro-democracy resistance committees are the ones who should decide the country’s fate, and warn the RSF is attempting to whitewash its crimes.