The Sudanese Civilian Democratic Forces Coordination (Taqaddum) announced that a meeting will be held between a delegation led by its head, former Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok, and the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohammed Hamdan' Hemedti' Dagalo, on Monday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Taqaddum requested urgent meetings with the Commander of Sudan's Armed Forces (SAF), Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Dagalo to discuss protecting civilians, delivering humanitarian aid, and ending the war.
The party said in a statement on Sunday, a copy of which was obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat, that several of its members led by Hamdok will meet the RSF team.
On Sunday, Asharq Al-Awsat reported that preparations were underway in several regional capitals for a meeting between the RSF commander and the former PM to discuss national developments and arrangements to end the war.
Taqaddum explained that the RSF responded to the request for a meeting and that contacts were ongoing with the armed forces leadership to determine a place and time for a similar meeting.
The Coordination Committee hoped the planned meetings would lead to practical steps that would end the suffering of the Sudanese people and that they would advance efforts for a peaceful solution to "the catastrophe of the April 15 war."
It added that there are hopes that the efforts would be integrated with regional and international efforts to end the war, namely the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union, and the Jeddah Platform.
- Renewed clashes
Meanwhile, a violent exchange of shelling renewed between the SAF and RSF in Khartoum.
Eyewitnesses told Asharq Al-Awsat that the RSF bombed the Wadi Seidna base in northern Omdurman.
Rapid Support artillery also bombed several areas of Khartoum Bahri and around the Army General Command in the capital and central Khartoum.
Army artillery responded with heavy bombardment on areas controlled by the RSF in the center of Khartoum Bahri and near the Halfaya and Shambat bridges.
The army also used drones in Khartoum and the eastern Nile region.
- Unconditional negotiation
In a related development, the Rapid Support commander informed the President of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, of his unconditional willingness to negotiate to achieve just and comprehensive peace in Sudan.
Guelleh is also the Chairman of IGAD.
Hemedti arrived in Djibouti in an African tour that took him to Uganda and Ethiopia.
The RSF Commander emphasized his commitment to the resolutions stemming from the recent IGAD Presidents' Summit held in Djibouti.
He reviewed with the President the recent developments in Sudan and his vision to stop the war and reach a comprehensive solution that will end the suffering of the people.
Earlier, 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 GAD, is preparing "the ground for Sudanese dialogue and will host a critical meeting," without providing detailed information about this meeting.
Youssouf believed the meeting was important for coming up with a vision to help the parties reach a ceasefire in Sudan.
Djibouti, under the mandate of the 41st IGAD Emergency and Special Sudan Summit meeting and in its capacity as current IGAD Chair, is responsible for preparing for a direct meeting between Burhan and Hemedti to end the war in Sudan.
