Sudanese Army, Rapid Support Forces Representatives Meet in Addis Ababa

Smoke rises above buildings during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum (Reuters)
Smoke rises above buildings during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum (Reuters)
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Sudanese Army, Rapid Support Forces Representatives Meet in Addis Ababa

Smoke rises above buildings during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum (Reuters)
Smoke rises above buildings during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum (Reuters)

The director of the Sudanese General Intelligence Service, Lt-Gen Ibrahim Mufaddal, and the legal advisor to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohammad al-Mokhtar, have met in Addis Ababa and discussed the ongoing war in Sudan, according to several sources.

The sources reported that the two officials held serious talks about the local developments and the impact of the ongoing war, which could threaten the security and safety of the entire country.

They stated that Mufaddal informed Mokhtar that the army leaders want to open channels of communication with the RSF, aiming to end the war that has been raging since mid-April.

Press sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Sudanese intelligence director visited the Ethiopian capital last week on a secret visit and then headed to Cairo, which coincided with the RSF advisor’s visit to Addis Ababa.

Asharq Al-Awsat interviewed Mokhtar over the phone, but he refused to provide any information about his recent trip to the Ethiopian capital and whether he had met the RSF official.

The sources said several military officials are displeased with the interference and influence of the former regime’s Islamist leaders in decisions within the army, especially their rejection to end the war.



US Links Ankara-Damascus Normalization to Political Solution in Syria

Meeting between Erdogan and Assad in 2010 (Archive)
Meeting between Erdogan and Assad in 2010 (Archive)
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US Links Ankara-Damascus Normalization to Political Solution in Syria

Meeting between Erdogan and Assad in 2010 (Archive)
Meeting between Erdogan and Assad in 2010 (Archive)

Recent statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his willingness to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to normalize relations between the two countries have sparked mixed reactions.
While the Syrian opposition sees the possibility of such a meeting despite the challenges, Damascus views the statements as a political maneuver by the Turks. Meanwhile, the United States has tied the normalization process to achieving a political solution in Syria based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254, issued in 2015.
Turkish media reported on Thursday that a US administration official, who was not named, confirmed that Washington is against normalizing relations with the Syrian regime under Assad. He emphasized that Washington cannot accept normalizing ties with Damascus without progress toward a political solution that ends the conflicts in Syria.
Meanwhile, the head of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, Hadi al-Bahra, stated that a meeting between Assad and Erdogan is possible despite the obstacles. In a statement to Reuters on Thursday, Bahra said the meeting is feasible, even though Ankara is fully aware that the Assad regime cannot currently meet its demands and understands the regime’s limitations.
Bahra pointed out that the UN-led political process remains frozen and that he had briefed US and Western officials on the latest developments in the Syrian file. On Saturday, Bahra participated in a consultative meeting in Ankara with the Syrian Negotiation Commission, along with a high-level delegation from the US State Department, during which they exchanged views on the political solution and the need to establish binding mechanisms for implementing international resolutions related to the Syrian issue.
On the other side, Assad’s special advisor, Bouthaina Shaaban, dismissed Erdogan’s announcement that Ankara is awaiting a response from Damascus regarding his meeting with Assad for normalization as another political maneuver with ulterior motives.
Shaaban, speaking during a lecture at the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was reported by Turkish media on Thursday, stated that any rapprochement between the two countries is contingent on its withdrawal of forces from Syrian territory.