Sudanese military refuses to participate in US-led ceasefire talks

The US said it hoped to achieve a ceasefire that would allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need, but that goal may be difficult to achieve due to the absence of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which declined a US invitation to attend.

The conference on a ceasefire in Sudan opens in Switzerland with international partners representing Switzerland, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, the African Union and the United Nations. Photo: USSESudan

A power struggle between the Sudanese Army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been raging in the African country since April 2023, causing mass displacement and famine.

The ceasefire talks, co-hosted by the US, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, will take place at an undisclosed location in Switzerland and could last up to 10 days.

“Our goal is to move toward achieving a ceasefire, increasing humanitarian access, and establishing enforcement mechanisms that deliver concrete results,” White House Special Envoy to Sudan Tom Perriello said earlier this week.

Before the talks began, Mr. Perriello also said that "it is time for Sudan to shut up!"

"The RSF delegation has arrived in Switzerland. Our US delegation and international partners, technical experts and Sudanese civil society are still waiting for the SAF. The world is watching," Perriello wrote in a post on the social network X.

Regarding the reason for the SAF's absence, the force said it was not satisfied with the format chosen by the US. The SAF opposed the presence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sudanese military leaders have repeatedly accused the UAE of supporting the RSF.

Sudan's Communications Minister Graham Abdelkader said ahead of the talks that the country would reject "any new observers or participants" after the US "resolutely demanded that the UAE participate as an observer" of the conference.

Currently, 20% of Sudanese people have been forced to flee their homes due to the ongoing fighting, while tens of thousands have died. More than half the population, or 25 million people across the country, are facing severe hunger.

The United Nations estimates that at least 100 people die of hunger every day in Sudan, with at least 30% of children suffering from acute malnutrition, while both sides in the conflict are blocking access for aid convoys.

Quang Anh (according to DW, AFP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/quan-doi-sudan-tu-choi-tham-gia-cuoc-dam-phan-ngung-ban-do-my-chu-tri-post307716.html