Continued Fighting in Sudan; Mediators Seek to Establish Ceasefire

Representatives of the warring parties in Sudan are present in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for 'pre-negotiation' talks on a ceasefire, and international mediators hope to end the internal conflict that has lasted for three weeks, but fighting continues in southern Khartoum. Reuters reported that the initiative by the United States and Saudi Arabia is the first serious attempt to end the battle between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which have turned parts of Sudan's capital into war zones. The internal conflict of the past few weeks has derailed the internationally supported plan for 'establishing civilian rule' after years, causing unrest, rebellion, and creating a humanitarian crisis. Hundreds have been killed and thousands injured in the fighting, and over one hundred thousand refugees have fled to neighboring countries. Earlier, American and Saudi news sources confirmed that the governments of these two countries invited the parties to negotiations between the Sudanese army and the 'Rapid Support Forces,' which began on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Both Sudanese sides have explicitly stated that they are discussing a humanitarian truce and are not negotiating to end the war. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the 'Rapid Support Forces,' expressed hope that the talks would lead to the establishment of a safe exit route for civilians. He had previously promised to either capture or kill Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the Sudanese army. Meanwhile, the Sudanese army confirmed on Friday that it had sent a delegation to Jeddah but stated that it would not engage in direct talks with the delegation of the 'Rapid Support Forces.'