Sudan Forms Specialized Committees to Accelerate Peace Talks

Sudan's Sovereign Council Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok after signing a peace agreement in Juba, South Sudan. (Reuters)
Sudan's Sovereign Council Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok after signing a peace agreement in Juba, South Sudan. (Reuters)
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Sudan Forms Specialized Committees to Accelerate Peace Talks

Sudan's Sovereign Council Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok after signing a peace agreement in Juba, South Sudan. (Reuters)
Sudan's Sovereign Council Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok after signing a peace agreement in Juba, South Sudan. (Reuters)

Talks between delegations from the Sudanese government and Abdelaziz al-Hilu’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-N al-Hilu) in Juba have so far faltered.

Member of the Transitional Sovereign Council Lieutenant General Shams El-Din Kabbashi led the government delegation, while the movement’s delegation was headed by its Secretary- General Ammar Amoun. The talks had kicked off on Wednesday.

Rapporteur of the Southern Sudanese mediation committee Dr. Dhieu Mathok said both sides discussed notes submitted by the government delegation on the draft framework agreement.

In press statements following the meeting, Mathok said some pending issues require more negotiations.

A decision was taken to form specialized committees from both delegations to discuss each disputed issue separately and bring views closer.

The system of governance and administration, security arrangements, economy and social affairs and the judicial system are among the outstanding issues.

The government delegation’s official spokesman, Khaled Omar Yousef, predicted that a peace agreement would be signed as soon as negotiations are completed.

The formation of specialized committees will eventually achieve a breakthrough, sources stressed to Asharq Al-Awsat.

The committees are expected to submit reports in accordance with the timeline set by the mediation at the end of the round of talks on Sunday to finalize the peace accord.

The Sudanese government and a major rebel group from its southern Nuba Mountains signed in March a Declaration of Principles, which paved the way for a final peace agreement by guaranteeing freedom of worship to all while separating religion and the state.

In the draft framework agreement, the SPLM-N requested a six-month period preceding the transitional period to establish agreed up institutions and mechanisms, hold elections and assess the performance of the elected government.



Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.