Heavy fighting continued in Khartoum as representatives from Sudan’s opposing factions—the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces—met in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for face-to-face discussions in the hopes of ending the three-week battle that has plunged the country into a chaotic scene with hundreds of deaths amidst thousands fleeing the country to safety.
There have been a series of attempts at fostering a rapprochement, most of them aimed at a temporary ceasefire in the past weeks.
Significantly, the U.S.-Saudi-led peace talks are a big step toward ending the violent confrontation between the armed groups led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of the SAF and Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, leader of the RSF. The breakdown in law and order in the Sudanese capital has cast a dark cloud over the plan to usher in a democratically elected government.
It is not clear if the warring groups have approached talks with an intent to find a common ground to end hostilities, as the opposing parties have echoed their lack of readiness by admitting that they are open for a ‘humanitarian truce’ rather than an attempt at negotiating the ‘end of the war.’
Speaking about the talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Gen. Dagalo confirmed the RSF representatives’ attendance at the negotiations earlier on Sunday. He quickly added that he hoped the negotiations would succeed in securing safe passage for civilians who seek safety. His announcement shows a preference for a humanitarian ceasefire over a resolution to the hostilities.
Gen. Dagalo’s determination on either capturing or killing SAF leader Gen. Burhan is evidence that both parties are still unwilling to make compromises to end the arm conflict.
The war in Sudan began on April 15 when explosions and sporadic shootings were heard in the capital Khartoum.
