Sudan’s warring parties have agreed to hold talks on a long-term truce, according to the Associated Press (AP), quoting Volker Perthes, the UN special representative in the country.
According to Perthes, the discussions, which might take place in Saudi Arabia or South Sudan, will initially focus on building a “stable and reliable” truce, though he warned that convincing both sides to maintain a ceasefire would be tough.
He stated that logistical difficulties, including as safe transit through each other’s territory, would need to be overcome. “That is very difficult in a situation where there is a lack of trust,” the envoy told the Associated Press.
The commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Daglo, reportedly told Asharq, a Saudi-based TV station, that his organisation has appointed delegates for the negotiations. However, he emphasised the importance of trust-building measures before reaching an agreement.
The Sudanese Health Ministry has reported 528 deaths and 4,599 injuries in the combat, which is now in its third week, since the escalation of hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF on April 15. According to the Sudan Doctors Union’s preliminary committee, the total number of civilian dead since the start of the confrontations has grown to 447, with 2,255 civilians injured.
“There are many injuries and deaths that are not included in [these figures], and hospitals could not be accessed due to mobility difficulties and the security situation in the country,” the committee stated in a statement.
Despite a series of temporary truces over the past week, fierce battles are said to have continued in some areas, displacing civilians and exacerbating Sudan’s humanitarian situation.
The Sudan Doctors’ Trade Union has warned of a “total collapse of the healthcare system” in Khartoum, el-Geneina, and other cities throughout the country, saying that 69% of “clash zone hospitals” are no longer operational.
The UN Special Representative for Sudan and head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan also warned of a “major humanitarian crisis” as Khartoum residents ran out of food and clean water, a situation exacerbated by fighting-related water system destruction.
“If we don’t get a stable ceasefire… the humanitarian situation will be even worse,” Perthes warned, according to the Associated Press.
The World Food Programme (WFP) stated on Monday that it was removing its temporary halt of activities in Sudan, which had been enforced following the deaths of three of its staff in the Darfur region at the start of the conflict.
