KHARTOUM: Representatives of the Sudanese army have returned to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for negotiations with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rebels, as the ongoing war between rival generals enters its fourth month. The move marks a renewed diplomatic effort by the army, following its boycott of talks in Ethiopia last week.
The conflict erupted into all-out war on April 15, following a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The war has resulted in the loss of at least 3,000 lives and the displacement of over three million people.
US mediators had previously adjourned talks in Jeddah after a series of repeatedly violated ceasefires. The RSF has not yet commented on their return to the negotiations.
While diplomatic efforts continue, residents of Khartoum have endured relentless air strikes, artillery blasts, and gun battles on a daily basis for the past three months. The violence has forced 1.7 million Sudanese to flee the capital, with millions more remaining in the city as the situation shows no signs of abating.
Sudan’s Residents Seeking Refugee in Neighboring Countries
Reports indicate ongoing clashes and air strikes in various parts of the capital city, with the targeting of military hospitals and a lack of functioning medical facilities exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. The worst fighting has taken place in the western region of Darfur, where entire villages and neighborhoods have been destroyed, and mass civilian deaths and assassinations of officials have been reported.
The International Criminal Court has launched an investigation into suspected war crimes, including sexual violence and targeted attacks based on ethnicity. The UN has appealed for safe passage of aid and humanitarian corridors to ensure the delivery of much-needed assistance, as the battle lines harden and reaching those in need becomes increasingly challenging.
The conflict has also had significant repercussions beyond Sudan, with over 2.4 million people displaced within the country and 740,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries. The closure of trade with Sudan is exacerbating the already fragile humanitarian situation in South Sudan, while the Central African Republic faces challenges related to small arms smuggling and severe shortages in food and fuel.
At a summit of Sudan’s neighbors in Cairo, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on international donors to honor their commitments of $1.5 billion in aid pledged at a Geneva conference in June, highlighting the urgent need for assistance to address the ongoing crisis.
