Kenyan President, Sudan’s RSF Leader Agree to Support Jeddah Platform

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (AFP)
Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (AFP)
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Kenyan President, Sudan’s RSF Leader Agree to Support Jeddah Platform

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (AFP)
Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (AFP)

Kenyan President William Ruto has agreed with the Commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), to support the Jeddah peace process, which is facilitated by Saudi Arabia and the United States, with the participation of the African Union and the Intergovernmental Development Organization (IGAD), with the aim to reach a solution to the conflict in Sudan.

In a statement on X, Hemedti said Friday that he discussed with Ruto during a phone conversation the situation in Sudan.

The two sides stressed the importance of the role played by IGAD, the joint and continuous coordination, and the need to deploy more efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people.

The RSF commander thanked Ruto for his continued support for the Sudanese people and for the stability of Sudan and the region.

Kenya chairs the IGAD quartet that is concerned with resolving the crisis in Sudan. The quartet also includes South Sudan, Uganda and Djibouti, the country hosting the organization’s headquarters.

Two weeks ago, the chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Army Commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, made a visit to Kenya, which eased tension and estrangement between the two countries, following the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ accusations of the Kenyan leadership of bias towards the RSF and providing safe havens for its leadership.

Al-Burhan and Ruto agreed on the progress achieved in the Jeddah platform, stressing the need to accelerate the negotiating process to reach a ceasefire and end the hostilities. The two sides also approved the holding of an emergency summit of IGAD leaders, as part of efforts to achieve a ceasefire, and to establish a framework for a comprehensive Sudanese dialogue.



Lebanon Ministry Says Two Dead in Israeli Strike on South

28 March 2025, Lebanon, Khiam: Heavy smoke billows from areas that were bombed by Israeli Forces in the southern Lebanese border town of Khiam. (dpa)
28 March 2025, Lebanon, Khiam: Heavy smoke billows from areas that were bombed by Israeli Forces in the southern Lebanese border town of Khiam. (dpa)
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Lebanon Ministry Says Two Dead in Israeli Strike on South

28 March 2025, Lebanon, Khiam: Heavy smoke billows from areas that were bombed by Israeli Forces in the southern Lebanese border town of Khiam. (dpa)
28 March 2025, Lebanon, Khiam: Heavy smoke billows from areas that were bombed by Israeli Forces in the southern Lebanese border town of Khiam. (dpa)

Lebanon's health ministry said two people were killed Sunday in an Israeli strike on the country's south, as Israel said it hit Hezbollah operatives amid a fragile truce.

The toll in the "strike launched by the Israeli enemy on the town of Zibqin rose to two dead", the health ministry said in a statement, adding that the toll was final after earlier reporting one dead.

The Israeli military said it carried out an air strike targeting two Hezbollah operatives in the Zibqin area, adding in a statement that they were "attempting to rebuild Hezbollah terror infrastructure sites".

A fragile ceasefire in late November largely halted more than a year of hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, but Israel has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon.

The latest raid came after visiting US deputy special envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus discussed the situation in south Lebanon with senior officials on Saturday.

On Friday, Israel killed a commander of Palestinian group Hamas in a pre-dawn raid in the south Lebanese port city of Sidon that also killed his adult son and daughter.

A day earlier, Israel's military said it carried out an air strike targeting a Hezbollah member in south Lebanon.

On Tuesday, Israel struck south Beirut, killing a Hezbollah Palestinian liaison officer, in only the second raid on the capital since the November 27 ceasefire.

Lebanon's health ministry reported four dead in that strike, including a woman.

Under the truce, Hezbollah was to redeploy its forces north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.

Israel was to withdraw its forces across the UN-demarcated Blue Line, the de facto border, but has missed two deadlines to do so and continues to hold five positions in south Lebanon that it deems "strategic".