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Sudan’s warring factions resumed indirect ceasefire talks in the Saudi port city of Jeddah on June 6, according to Al-Arabiya TV.
“The talks between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) will focus on ceasing the continuing fighting,” the channel cited informed sources as saying.
The army and RSF did not immediately comment on the Al-Arabiya report. The two factions have been fighting in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and other parts of the country since mid-April as a result of a disagreement over the country’s political process.
Earlier in the day, army leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. Burhan emphasized the need for the RSF to exit hospitals, public facilities, and homes and to open safe pathways in order for “the Jeddah platform” to succeed, a statement by the Sovereign Council led by al-Burhan said.
RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo spoke with Prince bin Farhan two days earlier. During the call, he reportedly expressed his support for the Jeddah platform.
Saudi Arabia and the United States helped launch the talks last May. Since then, the talks resulted in a declaration of commitments to protecting civilians and two temporary ceasefires.
Last week, the ceasefire talks collapsed after the mediators said there had been numerous serious violations by both factions.
Artillery and air strikes as well as clashes continued over the last few days in southern and eastern Khartoum. The two factions clashed in the streets of the city of Omdurman, around the army’s Engineers Corps base, after the resumption of talks were reported. The army, with support from the air force, was able to maintain its positions around the base but could not push back the RSF, which controls most of the rest of the city.
The conflict has so far sent more than 400,000 civilians across Sudan’s borders and more than 1.2 million out of Khartoum and other cities. The death toll reportedly exceeded 1,800, with more than 5,000 others wounded.
Even with the resumption of ceasefire talks, Sudan appears to be heading towards a lengthy civil war. Neither the army or the RSF are likely to make any compromise.
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