Fresh peace talks aimed at ending Sudan’s 16-month war have begun despite the two warring sides refusing to enter the negotiating room.
The US, which is leading the talks, insisted the event continued regardless, saying “we are going to try to do everything we can to try to end this horrific crisis in Sudan”.
Fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed thousands, driven about 10 million people from their homes and sparked what the United Nations has called the “world’s worst hunger crisis”.
The army said it would boycott the talks days before they were scheduled to start, while RSF delegates arrived in Switzerland but at the last minute said they would stay away.
Dashing hopes of a ceasefire, the army said it would not attend as the RSF had not implemented “what was agreed upon” in Saudi Arabia last year.
The paramilitary group had not met key conditions of the Jeddah Declaration, such as withdrawing its fighters from civilians’ houses and public facilities, the army said.
As late as Tuesday night, there were still hopes that Sudan’s army would arrive for the talks. Tom Perriello, the US Special Envoy for Sudan, said at 23:30 GMT (00:30 Swiss time) that the delegates were “still waiting on the SAF”.
“The world is watching,” he posted on X.
Mr Perriello said that in the army’s absence, the other parties would “explore every option to support the people of Sudan”.
The RSF also posted on Tuesday night, saying its arrival in Geneva was “a powerful testament to our resolve and determination to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people”. The group called on the army to attend the talks.
Credit: bbc.com
