Sudan peace talks resume in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH (AFP): Sudan’s warring parties have resumed negotiations in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending a six-month-old war that has killed more than 9,000 people, the Saudi foreign ministry said on Thursday.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomes the resumption of talks between representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and representatives of the Rapid Support Forces in the city of Jeddah,” a statement said.

Since April, the war between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has killed more than 9,000 people and displaced over 5.6 million.

Both sides announced Wednesday they had accepted an invitation to resume US- and Saudi-brokered negotiations in Jeddah.

Previous mediation attempts have only yielded brief truces, and even those were systematically violated.

The latest talks are occurring “in partnership” with representatives of the African Union and the East African regional bloc IGAD, led by close US partner Kenya, the Saudi statement said.

The statement called on negotiators to abide by an earlier agreement announced on May 11 to protect civilians, as well as a short-term ceasefire agreement signed on May 20.

“The Kingdom affirms its keenness on unity of ranks… to stop the bloodshed and alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people,” the statement said.

Riyadh hopes for “a political agreement under which security, stability and prosperity will be achieved for Sudan and its brotherly people”.