Sudan's warring parties to resume talks on Sunday after failing to agree to ceasefire

Smoke is seen rise from buildings during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum North, Sudan. Picture: Reuters/ Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

Smoke is seen rise from buildings during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum North, Sudan. Picture: Reuters/ Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

Published May 13, 2023

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Riyadh - Representatives of Sudan's warring parties will resume talks on Sunday on how to implement plans to deliver humanitarian aid and remove troops from civilian areas, a senior Saudi diplomat said.

The parties will remain in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah to start the next phase of the negotiations after agreeing on Thursday to the plan to protect civilians, the diplomat said on Saturday.

The kingdom has also invited General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan's transitional governing Sovereign Council, to an Arab League summit which is scheduled to take place in Jeddah on May 19.

Air strikes and artillery pounded Khartoum on Friday after Sudan's warring army and Rapid Support Forces paramilitary failed to agree to a ceasefire despite committing to protect civilians and allow humanitarian access.

A so-called declaration of principles was signed in Saudi Arabia late on Thursday after nearly a week of talks between the two factions, which had shared power before falling out over a transition to civilian rule.

RSF adviser Moussa Khadam told Sky News Arabia the group would abide by the principles agreed to and aimed to reach a complete ceasefire. But there was no let-up in violence and the army has not commented on the agreement.

Since clashing suddenly on April 15, the rival military factions have shown little sign they are ready to end deadly fighting that has uprooted hundreds of thousands of people and could pitch Sudan into a full-blown civil war.

The two forces issued competing statements on Friday that accused each other of harming civilians and ignoring the population's humanitarian needs.

The conflict has paralysed Sudan's economy and strangled its trade, aggravating a ballooning humanitarian crisis with the U.N. saying on Friday that 200,000 people have now fled into neighbouring states.

Reuters