Discrepancy Over Sudanese Army’s Conditions to Return to Jeddah Talks

Smoke billows in the distance around a Khartoum district amid ongoing fighting on July 14, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
Smoke billows in the distance around a Khartoum district amid ongoing fighting on July 14, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
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Discrepancy Over Sudanese Army’s Conditions to Return to Jeddah Talks

Smoke billows in the distance around a Khartoum district amid ongoing fighting on July 14, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
Smoke billows in the distance around a Khartoum district amid ongoing fighting on July 14, 2023. (Photo by AFP)

The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the army delegation’s readiness to return to the Jeddah negotiations as soon as the Saudi and American mediators managed to overcome the obstacles that prevented the continuation of the talks.

The army delegation withdrew from the negotiations on Wednesday, accusing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of obstructing an agreement to end the hostilities, because of its refusal to evacuate homes and service facilities. For its part, the RSF attributed the faltering of the agreement to the army delegation’s condition to open a safe passage for the exit of its commanders besieged in military headquarters in Khartoum.

In the statement, the Foreign Ministry expressed Sudan’s desire to reach a just agreement to stop hostilities, which would pave the way for discussing the post-war phase.

“The Foreign Ministry renews its appreciation for the efforts made by Saudi Arabia and the United States to facilitate the rounds of negotiations in Jeddah, and their keenness to make them a success,” it said, adding that the intransigence of the Rapid Support Forces and their non-compliance with the implementation of their obligations were the reason behind the failure of the Jeddah negotiations, which prompted the army delegation to return to the country.

The RSF commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as “Hemedti”, stressed that the war would end if the current army leadership stepped down.

The RSF claims that it is besieging the army commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, his deputy, Lieutenant General Shams al-Din Kabashi, and senior officers at the main headquarters of the army command, in the center of the capital, Khartoum. Al-Burhan and Al-Kabashi appeared more than once in the vicinity of the place in video recordings.

On the other hand, Vice-President of the Sovereignty Council Malik Agar, accused the RSF of committing heinous crimes against civilians, pointing to the targeting of some ethnic groups in the Darfur region.

Addressing the Russian-African summit in St. Petersburg, Agar blamed the RSF for the current crisis in Sudan, saying that the group launched an all-out war on the capital and some cities, causing heinous crimes and unprecedented human suffering.



Islamic Consensus in Istanbul on Need for Solidarity Against Israeli Escalation

A commemorative photo of the ministers and officials participating in the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council in Istanbul (AFP)
A commemorative photo of the ministers and officials participating in the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council in Istanbul (AFP)
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Islamic Consensus in Istanbul on Need for Solidarity Against Israeli Escalation

A commemorative photo of the ministers and officials participating in the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council in Istanbul (AFP)
A commemorative photo of the ministers and officials participating in the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council in Istanbul (AFP)

The 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held in Istanbul, witnessed a clear consensus among member states on the need for unity and solidarity in the face of Israel’s ongoing escalation. This comes amid continued international silence on the violations committed in Gaza and Israel’s expanding attacks into Lebanon, Syria, and Iran.
 
In his opening speech, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stated that the world’s silence on Israel’s aggressive policies in Palestine has only encouraged its regional expansion. He asserted that the coming period will see a “much greater role for the Islamic world, which must become an independent global power.”
 
Erdogan urged Islamic nations to overcome internal disputes and unite in defending their common causes. He warned that Netanyahu’s “Zionist ambitions” could push the world into catastrophe, likening the threat to that of Adolf Hitler, whose ambitions ignited World War II.
 
Regarding Iran, Erdogan stressed that defending oneself against Israeli attacks is a legitimate right, stating: “There is no difference between an attack on Tehran, Istanbul, Makkah, or Madinah - they share the same fate.”

He also warned against attempts to impose a “new Sykes-Picot” agreement on the region. He added that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worse than Nazi concentration camps, with over two million Palestinians struggling to survive under siege for nearly two years.
 
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who assumed the presidency of the session, warned that Israel is dragging the region to the brink of total catastrophe.
He stressed that the core issue is not about Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, or others. It is “an Israeli problem,” he said. He further called for a firm stance against the aggression and praised Egypt and Qatar for their ongoing efforts to mediate a ceasefire.
 
Fidan criticized the failure of international mechanisms, particularly the UN Security Council, in addressing the ongoing atrocities in Gaza.
 
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit also condemned any targeting of nuclear facilities in Iran, warning of severe humanitarian and environmental consequences. He said that expanding the war will not bring peace and stressed the necessity of returning to diplomacy, referencing past successful negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
 
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi condemned Israel’s violations of international law and sovereignty in its attacks on Iran. He called for restraint, a return to diplomacy, and praised Oman’s mediation between the US and Iran.
 
Closed sessions were held in Istanbul to discuss developments in Gaza and Iran’s nuclear negotiations. A special Arab ministerial meeting also took place, denouncing the Israeli aggression against Iran and calling for urgent efforts to de-escalate.