Amidst the ongoing conflict that has ravaged Sudan for over 17 months, both the Sudanese army and the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have indicated their openness to pursuing peaceful solutions. This comes in direct response to a call for renewed peace talks by US President Joe Biden.
In separate statements, Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo expressed their willingness to engage in constructive efforts to end the war, which has claimed the lives of over 12,000 people.
"We stand ready to work with all international partners in pursuit of a peaceful resolution that alleviates the suffering of our people and sets Sudan on a path towards security, stability, the rule of law, and the democratic transfer of power," Burhan, the army chief, said in a statement.
For his part, Dagalo said on social platform X, "We reaffirm our commitment to ceasefire negotiations. We believe that the path to peace lies in dialogue, not random violence, and we will continue to engage in peace processes to secure a future free from fear and suffering for all Sudanese civilians."
However, despite this seemingly positive development, both sides remain locked in a blame game, accusing each other of human rights abuses and hindering peace efforts.
Neither party has yet outlined concrete steps towards reaching a negotiated settlement.
International mediators, led by the US and Saudi Arabia, recently reported securing commitments from both sides in a Switzerland peace conference to improve humanitarian aid access.