Sudan’s army declines US invitation to resume peace negotiations

Following a discussion between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces made a request for peace talks, which Sudan’s army turned down on Wednesday.

The conflict between the army and RSF, which broke out in April 2023 over the implementation of free elections, has resulted in thousands of deaths and nearly 9 million displaced persons.

“We refuse to travel to Jeddah, the Saudi Arabian venue for negotiations. Our desire is to be killed within our own nation and our remains taken there,” declared Malik Agar, a former rebel commander and Burhan’s deputy on the Transitional Sovereign Council.

Residents in the northern parts of the capital Khartoum reported heavy artillery fire and aircraft bombing on Wednesday as the conflict remained intense.

The State Department said on Tuesday that Blinken and Burhan spoke about the necessity of putting an end to the conflict and resuming the US-Saudi Arabia-sponsored talks in Jeddah, which have been put on hold for months after failing to produce a long-term truce.

Sudan’s army-aligned foreign ministry welcomed an invitation from Egypt to a summit of civilian political groupings on Wednesday, but it put restrictions on the international actors and groups that may be invited.

Agar stated in his statement that the Addis Ababa separate meeting for political parties that are civilian in nature was a diversion from the goal of putting an end to the war.

Although neither party has followed through on promises made in past rounds, the RSF has previously stated that it is ready to negotiations.

During Tuesday’s call, Blinken also spoke about the need to defuse the situation in al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, where fighting has intensified since May 10. According to reports from the United Nations and Medecins Sans Frontieres, the fighting has killed at least 145 people and forced over 3,600 families to flee, the majority of them this week.

While the army has been conducting expensive airstrikes in the region to preserve its presence in its final stronghold in the Darfur region, the RSF has surrounded al-Fashir and raided civilian neighborhoods.

Locals report that homes have been demolished by projectiles that have landed from either side, that power and water have been cut off, and that few people are able to get to hospitals.