Fighting continues in Sudan as mediators meet in Saudi Arabia

 

Fighting continued in south Khartoum in Sudan on Sunday when envoys from Sudan's rival parties and mediators met in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for talks.

International mediators arranged direct talks between Sudan’s warring parties in the hope to put an end to Sudan’s conflict that has killed hundreds of people, injured thousands and triggered an exodus.

The United States (U.S.) and Saudi Arabia attempted to end fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The US-Saudi initiative was aimed at resolving the conflict between the two parties.

The conflict between the two Sudan’s rivals turned the Sudanese capital into war zones. It created a humanitarian crisis. Many people were trapped inside their homes due to continued fighting.

"Pre-negotiation" talks between the Sudanese military and the RSF began on Saturday with the hope to resolve the conflict. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the talks would continue in the coming days to reach an effective short-term ceasefire.

According to Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television, Saudi Arabia is set to allocate $100 million in urgent humanitarian aid to Sudan in order to help civilians.

Reportedly, mediators are seeking to end the conflict in Sudan. However, the two Sudanese rivals said they would only discuss a humanitarian truce and not negotiate to end the war in the country.

Reportedly, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti, has vowed to kill Sudanese army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

The conflict in Sudan started on April 15 between the Sudanese army and RSF. The two rivals do not want to make compromises to end the bloodshed.

A joint US-Saudi statement read, “Saudi Arabia and the United States urge both parties to take into consideration the interests of the Sudanese nation.”

The United Kingdom, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the League of Arab States, and the African Union (AU) have repeatedly urged the two parties to end the conflict.