Saudi Arabia presses Sudanese military for ceasefire as war worsens
May 1, 2024 (RIYADH) – On Wednesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan held separate phone calls with the President of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemetti”.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying Bin Farhan discussed the repercussions of the current situation on the Sudanese people with both military commanders. He urged them to commit to a ceasefire to prevent further civilian suffering and limit the aggravation of the devastating humanitarian situation. The statement added that he also called for them to stop the fighting to protect state institutions and ensure the safety and stability of Sudan.
Saudi Arabia, alongside the United States, is leading mediation efforts to urge the two military commanders to end the war, which has been ongoing for over a year. The conflict has caused devastating humanitarian conditions, massive destruction of infrastructure, homes, and governmental and private institutions, and displaced about 10 million Sudanese.
RSF Commander Hemetti stated on the “X” platform that his conversation with the Saudi minister focused on the current situation and ways to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people.
He added, “We emphasized to Prince Faisal bin Farhan that the other party does not have a real will to stop the war and seeks to prolong its duration and expand its scope. They obstructed the first and second rounds of the Jeddah talks and rejected the IGAD initiative. These actions ultimately exacerbate the human suffering and directly threaten the security and stability of our country and the region.”
No invitation for talks
Meanwhile, the paramilitary forces denied receiving an official invitation to resume negotiations in the Jeddah forum.
A member of the RSF delegation in the Jeddah negotiations, Mohamed Mukhtar Al-Nur, told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday, “We have not received an official invitation from the mediators in Saudi Arabia, the United States, the IGAD, or any international and regional parties to resume negotiations with the army in the Jeddah platform.”
The RSF emphasized that they haven’t introduced new conditions for resuming peace talks with the Sudanese military. They remain committed to the terms outlined in the Jeddah Agreement and the Document of Principles signed in Manama, Bahrain.
On December 3, the Saudi-American mediators decided to indefinitely suspend negotiations between the army and the Rapid Support Forces in the Jeddah platform after the parties failed to implement confidence-building measures and end the military presence in major cities.