- By Hamilah Olamide
Leaders of the warring sides in Sudan have arrived the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ahead of a peace talk aimed at ending hostilities.
NPO Reported earlier that more than 500 persons have been killed since the war broke out more than three weeks ago. Over 2000 persons have been injured in the conflict.
NPO Reports quotes what the BBC reported as that “pre-negotiation talks” scheduled to start on Saturday (today.)
The deadly war is between between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF),
Saturday’s meeting, the first of its kind since the war broke out, is at the behest of Saudi authorities and the United States.
BBC Reports that both sides have said they will discuss a humanitarian truce but not an end to the conflict.
On Saturday, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan welcomed the representatives from both parties. He said he hoped the talks would “lead to the end of the conflict and the return of security and stability to the Republic of Sudan”.
Gen Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who leads the RSF, said on Twitter that the group appreciated all efforts to establish a ceasefire and provide the Sudanese people with aid. He also insisted the RSF was committed to “the transition to a civilian-led government”.
Gen Daglo, better known as Hemedti, is engaged in a bitter power struggle with Sudan’s army commander, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan – the country’s de facto president.
Saturday’s talks come amid reports of continuing clashes in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
Hundreds of people have been killed and nearly 450,000 civilians displaced since the fighting began. Of that total, the International Organization for Migration says, more than 115,000 have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.
A joint US-Saudi statement urged “both parties to take in consideration the interests of the Sudanese nation and its people and actively engage in the talks towards a ceasefire and end to the conflict”.