Sudan: Conflicting Statements over the Jeddah Negotiations

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al-Saud stands along with other officials as representatives of the Sudanese army and rival Rapid Support Forces sign an agreement for a seven-day ceasefire in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al-Saud stands along with other officials as representatives of the Sudanese army and rival Rapid Support Forces sign an agreement for a seven-day ceasefire in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
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Sudan: Conflicting Statements over the Jeddah Negotiations

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al-Saud stands along with other officials as representatives of the Sudanese army and rival Rapid Support Forces sign an agreement for a seven-day ceasefire in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al-Saud stands along with other officials as representatives of the Sudanese army and rival Rapid Support Forces sign an agreement for a seven-day ceasefire in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS

The Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) issued conflicting statements over the talks in Jeddah, while the Saudi and American mediators are running the process very discreetly.

The army denied reaching any new truce, describing the statements about progress made in this regard as inaccurate.

Reports by sources, who are informed of the course of negotiations, had confirmed that the two sides reached understandings that could lead to the cessation of hostilities and a lasting truce in Sudan.

Sudanese Armed Forces Spokesman Brigadier General Nabil Abdallah said that reports about an “alleged truce” were incorrect, pointing that the Army negotiating team was still in Sudan and that the talks were still halted.

His comments came in response to statements by the Freedom and Change coalition, about an imminent ceasefire between the two sides, which would last for 60 days.

Last week, the Sudanese Army announced that its delegation has returned from Jeddah on July 26, and that it was ready to resume the talks when obstacles are removed, pointing to ongoing disputes over essential points, including the evacuation of citizens’ homes, services facilities, hospitals and roads.

For its part, the RSF stressed that its delegation would stay in Jeddah, attributing 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.

The city of Jeddah has been hosting for three months direct and indirect talks between Sudan’s warring parties, with Saudi-American mediation.

The negotiations led to the signing of a number of agreements, including a humanitarian declaration, which the parties failed to implement.

The conflict has seen more than 3 million people uprooted, including more than 700,000 who have fled to neighboring countries.



Arab League Condemns Attack on Saudi Hospital, Arson at Oil Refinery in Sudan

A previous meeting of the Arab League (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A previous meeting of the Arab League (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Arab League Condemns Attack on Saudi Hospital, Arson at Oil Refinery in Sudan

A previous meeting of the Arab League (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A previous meeting of the Arab League (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit has condemned the attack on the Saudi hospital in El Fasher, Sudan, which claimed the lives of innocent civilians, describing it as a blatant violation of international and humanitarian law.
In a statement on Sunday, Aboul Gheit also denounced the arson of the Al-Jaili oil refinery north of Khartoum, labeling it a systematic attack on vital civilian infrastructure in Sudan.

According to SPA, he warned that such actions exacerbate the country’s dire economic conditions and deepen the suffering of its people.
Aboul Gheit stressed the importance of adhering to the guidelines set forth in the Jeddah Declaration for Ceasefire and Humanitarian Arrangements, which was signed in May 2023. This declaration calls for the safeguarding of public facilities—including medical centers, hospitals, and water and electricity infrastructure—and explicitly prohibits their use for military purposes.