Talks aimed at ending the 16-month civil war in Sudan have begun in Switzerland, but hopes for a breakthrough were dampened by the absence of army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The talks were led by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, who have been fighting against the army since April last year.
Despite efforts to reach a peace deal, both sides have repeatedly violated agreements, with the RSF denying accusations of abuse against civilians. The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and over 10.7 million internally displaced people, along with 2.3 million refugees who have fled the country.
The situation in Sudan has reached a critical point, with UN officials warning of tens of thousands of preventable deaths from hunger, disease, floods, and violence if the fighting continues. The RSF has sent a delegation to the talks and expressed willingness to reach a new peace deal if the army engages in negotiations.
Representatives from Egypt, the United Nations, the African Union, and other organizations are also present at the negotiations. The conflict between al-Burhan and Hemedti escalated last year after tensions over the integration of their forces erupted into full-scale war. The army-led government has since moved its base to Port Sudan on the east coast.
Efforts to reach a ceasefire and address humanitarian concerns in Sudan continue, with international mediators working to resolve the conflict and prevent further suffering in the country.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com