Representatives of the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary RSF met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday for negotiations aimed at strengthening a ceasefire that would allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians who have been affected by the three weeks of fierce fighting, media has reported.
The talks, initiated by the kingdom and the US, are part of a broader peace initiative that aims to end the fighting, which has seen hundreds of people killed and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes.
In a joint statement, the countries urged the warring sides "to take in consideration the interests of the Sudanese nation and its people and actively engage in the talks towards a ceasefire."
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan hailed the start of negotiations in Jeddah, saying that he hopes they will restore peace in Sudan. After the fighting broke out on April 15, the city became a hub for people evacuated by sea from Port Sudan.
"We welcome the presence of representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in the city of Jeddah, to engage in dialogue that we hope will lead to the end of the conflict and the return of security and stability to the Republic of Sudan," he said.
According to officials of the country's Army and the RSF, the negotiations are expected to touch on the topic of opening humanitarian corridors in the capital city of Khartoum, as well as in Omdurman. The parties will also discuss the protection of civilian infrastructure, in particular health facilities that are struggling with shortages of both medical staff and supplies.
An RSF official told media that they would discuss a mechanism to monitor the ceasefire, given the fact that a series of truces proclaimed since the start of the conflict have failed to stop it.
The leader of the RSF, Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, commented on the talks, saying that his forces welcome the initiative and highly appreciate all the efforts made by the international community to end the hostilities.
"We welcome the joint statement by Saudi Arabia and the United States, initiating talks between the conflicting parties in Jeddah. We appreciate all regional and international efforts to establish a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors, and provide essential services to the people of Sudan," he said.
The South Sudanese Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that the head of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, the commander-in-chief of the country's Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and head of the RSF Dagalo agreed to a seven-day truce from May 4 to 11.
Since April 15, fighting has been ongoing in Sudan between the RSF and the regular army. According to the country's Health Ministry, the death toll in the clashes has reached 550, while more than 4,900 have been injured. Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of Sudanese have been displaced inside the country or fled to neighboring states.
According to the UN refugee agency, the number of people fleeing to neighboring countries is expected to exceed 860,000, while humanitarian agencies would need $445 million to provide them with much needed aid.
This article was written in collaboration with the Associated Press.