Jeddah talks could end Sudan conflict

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan hoped that talks being held in Jeddah between the Sudanese warring parties will lead to an end to the conflict.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started direct talks on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and the US announced in a joint statement.

Prince Faisal welcomed the presence of representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in Jeddah to engage in dialogue.

“We hope that this dialogue will lead to the end of the conflict and the return of security and stability to Sudan.”

“This dialogue comes as a result of international collaboration and vigorous efforts of the Kingdom with the United States and in partnership with the Quartet countries and partners from the tripartite mechanism,” said minister.

Riyadh and Washington urged both parties to actively engage in talks toward a cease-fire and an end to the conflict.

They also urged continued, coordinated international support for an expanded negotiation process that should include engagement with all Sudanese parties.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken thanked Saudi Arabia for hosting the talks. He urged the parties to engage in these talks seriously as a path toward ending the conflict.

Fighting between two rival generals — army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and RSF commander Gen. Mohammed Hamdan "Hemedti" Daglo — broke out April 15, leaving more than 550 people dead.

RSF commander welcomed on Saturday the joint statement by Saudi Arabia and the United States, initiating talks between the conflicting parties in Jeddah.

He appreciated all regional and international efforts to establish a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors, and provide essential services to the people of Sudan.

“We are committed to democracy and the transition to a civilian-led government,” he said.

Daglo expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia and the United States for sponsoring this initiative, and extended a special thanks to the Saudi leadership for hosting the talks.

Saudi Arabia joins US-UAE-Egyptian mediation bid to end conflict in Sudan

Saudi Arabia has joined the mediation efforts of the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt to end the conflict in Sudan. This was revealed by Sky News Arabia, quoting well-informed US sources.

The sources stated that the mediation efforts seek to bring together Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and Commander of the Rapid Support Forces Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo in the Saudi capital Riyadh in the coming weeks.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that the United States is in close contact with Sudanese military leaders to extend the ceasefire, and to explore options for restoring the diplomatic and consular presence of Sudan as soon as possible.

“Following intense negotiation over the past 48 hours, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to implement a nationwide ceasefire starting at midnight on April 24, to last for 72 hours,” Blinken said in a statement issued two hours before the ceasefire started.

In an interview with MSNBC, Blinken said, “We are still looking at options. We have military installations that are still in the immediate area if they are needed, but this is not the time to conduct some kind of massive operations.”

He pointed out that dozens of Americans are participating in a convoy led by the United Nations heading to Port Sudan, and that the US military is helping to monitor it through unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

The agreement between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) came following intense negotiation over the past 48 hours, Blinken said.

“The United States urges the SAF and RSF to immediately and fully uphold the ceasefire,” Blinken said.

“To support a durable end to the fighting, the United States will coordinate with regional and international partners, and Sudanese civilian stakeholders, to assist in the creation of a committee to oversee the negotiation, conclusion, and implementation of a permanent cessation of hostilities and humanitarian arrangements in Sudan,” he added.

The White House Spokesman John Kirby announced that the United States is preparing to send part of the American fleet to help its nationals who wish to leave Sudan.

Meanwhile, the Arab and Western countries continued evacuation of their nationals and diplomatic missions from the capital, Khartoum, after the security and humanitarian conditions have deteriorated and reached on the brink of an impending catastrophe.

In a related development, a US military plane evacuated 45 Japanese citizens and their family members from Sudan.