Sudan ceasefire talks to resume amid heavy fighting
The conflict has displaced over 700,000 People.Photo/NYT.
The two warring factions in Sudan, the Army and Rapid Support Forces paramilitary will resume talks, says a senior Saudi diplomat, as air strikes and heavy fighting continued overnight around Khartoum despite an agreement to protect civilians.
Saudi kingdom, which has been hosting the talks aimed at securing a ceasefire deal, also invited army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to Friday’s Arab League summit in Jeddah, the diplomat said.
Burhan was invited because he is head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council that was meant to oversee a planned transition to civilian rule before the conflict brokeout.
Since the conflict started a month ago,hundreds have been killed while more than 200,000 people moved into neighbouring states, with another 700,000 displaced inside the country.
The two sides agreed on Thursday to a “declaration of principles” to protect civilians and allow humanitarian access, but up until this point, fighting has continued with clashes and strikes ringing around Khartoum and neighbouring areas.
In the resumed talks in Jeddah, both sides will start by discussing mechanisms on how to implement Thursday’s agreement including plans for aid delivery, safe corridors and possible removal of forces from civilian areas.
The talks would then move on to ways to end the conflict, eventually paving the way for a civilian government.
Writing by Tersoo Nicholas