Sudan army urges continued Saudi-U.S. efforts to bring negotiation back on track

Khartoum, Sudan | Xinhua | The Sudanese army Friday called on Saudi Arabia and the United States to continue mediation efforts to bring the negotiation with the rival faction back on track.

“We urge the mediation to continue its efforts to persuade the other party to implement the requirements of the truce and the short-term cease-fire, in a manner that enables the return to the negotiating track,” the office of the Sudanese army’s spokesman said in a statement.

The statement renewed the army’s desire to lessen the suffering of the Sudanese people and reach clear military arrangements to end the rebellion and bring the country back to the path of democratic transition.

“Our delegation has remained in Jeddah with the hope that the mediation would take a fair and more effective approach that guarantees compliance with what has been agreed on,” the statement said.

The Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Wednesday suspended their peace talks in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

The next day, Saudi Arabia and the United States issued a statement strongly criticizing the two parties to the conflict in Sudan, saying their actions “have impeded the delivery of humanitarian assistance and restoration of essential services.”

Urging the warring parties to take necessary steps to demonstrate meaningful commitment to the Jeddah talks, the statement said the Saudi and U.S. sides stand ready to reconvene the talks once the steps are taken.

Meanwhile, the United States on Thursday imposed diplomatic and economic sanctions on the two belligerent parties.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly armed clashes between the army and the RSF in the capital Khartoum and other areas since April 15.

More than 800 people have been killed and nearly 1.4 million forced to leave their homes since the conflict began, with more than 1 million internally displaced and about 345,000 crossing into neighboring countries for safety, according to Sunday’s update from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs