Preparations Underway for a Meeting Between Sudan's Hemedti, Hamdok in a Regional Capital

An aerial view of the black smoke and flames at a market in Omdurman, Khartoum North, Sudan (Reuters)
An aerial view of the black smoke and flames at a market in Omdurman, Khartoum North, Sudan (Reuters)
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Preparations Underway for a Meeting Between Sudan's Hemedti, Hamdok in a Regional Capital

An aerial view of the black smoke and flames at a market in Omdurman, Khartoum North, Sudan (Reuters)
An aerial view of the black smoke and flames at a market in Omdurman, Khartoum North, Sudan (Reuters)

Several arrangements are being made in various countries to hold a meeting between the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo known as Hemedti, and the Civil Front for Democratic Forces, led by former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok.

Djibouti announced that arrangements were being made to host Sudanese talks within a week and discuss recent developments in Sudan.

Sources close to the RSF told Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday that a meeting is expected to be held within days between Dagalo and the communication committee of the Civil Front.

- Hemedti does not mind meeting Hamdok

Hamdok said last week that he sent two letters to the army commander, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF commander, requesting a meeting to discuss ways to stop the war in Sudan and restore stability.

On Dec. 26, Hemedti approved the request of the former Prime Minister for an urgent meeting, while there had yet to be a comment from the army commander.

- Djiboutian Foreign Ministry’s efforts

Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister of Djibouti, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, announced on his “X” account that his country, in its capacity as president of the current session of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), is preparing “the ground for Sudanese dialogue, and will host a critical meeting,” without providing detailed information about this meeting.

A meeting scheduled between the army commander and the RSF commander in Djibouti on Dec. 28 to resolve the Sudanese crisis and stop the war was not held.

The Djiboutian Foreign Ministry said that the meeting was postponed for technical reasons and will be held in January.

On Dec. 10, the IGAD emergency summit decided to hold an urgent meeting between Burhan and Hemedti to end the war in Sudan.

However, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry rejected the final communique, saying the statement of the extraordinary summit does not represent the Sudanese government unless the IGAD presidency corrects it.

Sudan accused the IGAD Secretariat of inserting inaccurate information and requested the deletion of a paragraph regarding the attendance of the Emirati Foreign Minister and the assertion that the IGAD heads had met with an RSF delegation.

The concluding statement also claimed the Transitional Sovereign Council President had approved a meeting with the RSF leader and the omission of the Egypt-led initiative proposed by Sudan’s neighboring countries to resolve the crisis.



Hamas Claims Attack on Israeli Bus in West Bank That Wounded 8 People, Including 4 Soldiers

Four people suffered bullet wounds, three of them serious, and four others were lightly injured by shards of glass, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service - AFP
Four people suffered bullet wounds, three of them serious, and four others were lightly injured by shards of glass, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service - AFP
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Hamas Claims Attack on Israeli Bus in West Bank That Wounded 8 People, Including 4 Soldiers

Four people suffered bullet wounds, three of them serious, and four others were lightly injured by shards of glass, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service - AFP
Four people suffered bullet wounds, three of them serious, and four others were lightly injured by shards of glass, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service - AFP

Hamas claimed responsibility for a shooting attack on an Israeli bus in the occupied West Bank on Friday that wounded eight people, including four soldiers.

It was the latest violence to scar the territory as tensions run high 14 months into the Israel-Hamas war.

The attacker, who Hamas identified in a statement as Samer Hussein, 46, was killed by Israeli troops shortly after opening fire toward the bus at a junction near the Israeli settlement of Ariel.

The military said four soldiers were lightly wounded. Paramedics said three people were critically wounded.

Attacks by Palestinian fighters on Israelis in the volatile territory have grown more common since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, as Palestinian deaths have also spiked.  

Israeli fire has killed 796 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023, mostly in military raids on Palestinian cities and towns. Attacks by settlers on Palestinians and their property have also increased.