Fighting continued south of Khartoum on Sunday, while representatives of the warring sides in Sudan’s conflict were in Saudi Arabia, beginning negotiations that international mediators hope will lead to a cessation of hostilities.
The US-Saudi initiative, the first serious attempt to end armed clashes between the army and the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have turned parts of the Sudanese capital into war zones, has thwarted a plan supported by the international community to establish civilian rule after several years of unrest and uprisings and created a humanitarian crisis.
Saudi Arabia will provide $100 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan, Saudi state broadcaster Al-Ekhbariya reported on Sunday.
President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, visited Saudi Arabia over the weekend for talks with the country’s leaders.
Fighting since mid-April has left hundreds dead and thousands injured, disrupted the delivery of humanitarian aid and forced an estimated 100,000 Sudanese to flee the country.
As mediators search for a path to peace, both sides have made it clear that they will only discuss a humanitarian truce, not terms to end the war.
After confirming his faction’s involvement in the talks, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo expressed hope that the dialogue would achieve its goal of providing safe passage for civilians.
Dagalo said he intended to capture or kill Sudanese army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and evidence has also been received on the ground that the two sides are still unwilling to make any compromise to end the bloodshed.
Before the outbreak of hostilities, Dagalo tried to get closer to the civilian coalition, which indicated its political projects. Burkhan said the war started because of these “ambitions” of Dagalo.
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