Sudan Conflict: Envoys from both sides arrive in Jeddah for talks

Cairo, in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, expressed its aspiration for the talks to result in a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire.

At the field level, and in the city of Bahri – on the other bank of the Nile facing Khartoum – the sound of warplanes and explosions were heard on Saturday evening, frightening the city’s residents.

Witnesses in eastern Khartoum reported armed clashes and airstrikes over residential areas on Saturday.

Despite the announcement of several truces, fighting continues in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and its suburbs.

Meanwhile, and as evidence of the extent of the turmoil in the capital, Turkey announced the transfer of its embassy from Khartoum to Port Sudan, after the ambassador’s car came under fire, but no one was hurt as a result.

A Turkish diplomatic source said that the ambassador’s car came under fire from unknown assailants, but the ambassador was not inside. The two Sudanese parties to the conflict accused each other of being behind this attack.

The Jeddah talks, which overlook the Red Sea, come within the framework of a Saudi-American initiative to end the raging conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese regular army on one side, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on the other side.

International mediators are pressing for an end to this conflict, which has devastated Sudan and threatens to continue to expand. Washington said international mediators are stepping up efforts to end the conflict, which has killed hundreds of people and left tens of thousands displaced and refugees.

In a joint statement, Riyadh and Washington welcomed the start of the “pre-negotiation talks” program between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, and the statement urged the two parties to the conflict “to actively participate and reach a ceasefire, which would spare the Sudanese people suffering and ensure the availability of humanitarian aid to the regions.” affected.”

In the statement, the two mediators expressed their hope for an “expanded negotiation process that includes participation with all Sudanese parties.”

The Sudanese army confirmed that it had sent envoys to Jeddah on Friday evening to take part in the talks, but the special envoy, Daffallah al-Hajj, said the army would not sit directly with any delegation that the “rebel” Rapid Support Forces might send. For its part, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces welcomed the initiative to hold peace talks in Jeddah. In a statement, the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, referred to the US-Saudi-brokered talks as a way to allow aid to reach civilians.

Hemeti also vowed to either capture or kill army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and there was also evidence on the ground that the two sides were still unwilling to make concessions to end the bloodshed.

As for the coalition of what is known as the “Forces of Freedom and Change”, it said it hoped the talks would lead to a permanent ceasefire and a permanent political solution. However, reporters say it is unclear whether the two sides are really interested in stopping the fighting – especially with the continuing clashes. parts of Khartoum.

The talks taking place in Jeddah come amid a complete absence of any possible signs of calm in the short term, with expectations that discussions will focus on implementing a coherent humanitarian truce, rather than ending the war.

The “Jeddah Initiative” is the first practical attempt to end the fighting that is crippling the country and threatening its political transition, after years of turmoil that ravaged Sudan and its economy.

The civil forces that signed the framework agreement welcomed the talks, expressing their hope for a peaceful solution. “We hope to stop the fighting and pave the way for a sustainable peaceful political solution,” according to a statement posted on the FFC account.

The Kingdom also focuses on security in the Red Sea – which it shares with Sudan – which is part of the Saudi Vision 2030 – in addition to being a strategic shipping lane for the Kingdom’s oil exports.

The commander of the Sudanese army, General Abdel Fattah, is engaged in a bitter struggle for power with the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, General Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.

The fierce fighting, which lasted for nearly three weeks, left hundreds of people dead and nearly 450,000 civilians displaced.

Of this total, more than 115,000 people have sought refuge in neighboring countries, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The number of victims of the fighting in the country is estimated at about 700 people, mostly in Khartoum and the Darfur region, according to the ACLED project to collect data in areas of armed conflict.

And the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned Friday that “the situation in Sudan has become tragic due to the alarmingly large number of children” who have been killed in the fighting.

James Elder, a spokesman for the organization, said UNICEF had received reports from a trusted partner – which the UN could not yet independently verify – that 190 children were killed and 1,700 injured during the first 11 days of the conflict.

He added that this data was collected from health facilities in Khartoum and Darfur since April 15, which means that it only includes children who have already arrived for treatment in those facilities in those areas.

However, Elder said, “the real numbers could be much higher.”

Aid workers are having difficulty getting much-needed supplies in areas hit by violence.

According to the International Medical Corps, at least 18 aid workers have been killed amid heavy fighting in Sudanese cities.

The UN Human Rights Council said it would hold a special session next Thursday to discuss ways to “confront the impact of the ongoing conflict on human rights.”

US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said on Thursday that Washington expects the conflict to continue for a long time.

And she added, in a US Senate hearing, “The fighting is likely to continue for a long time because both sides believe that they can resolve it militarily, and there are not enough incentives to push the two sides to the negotiating table.”

And she continued, “Both sides are seeking support from external sources. Which – if successful – is likely to intensify the conflict and enhance the prospects that the region will witness more challenges.”

The International Organization for Migration said that nearly 450,000 civilians have already fled their homes since the fighting began, including more than 115,000 who have sought refuge in Sudan’s neighboring countries.