Sudan Peace Talks Moving Forward, Says US Envoy

Despite little signs from either party that they seek a peaceful resolution, the U.S. special envoy, Tom Perriello said talks to end Sudan’s 16-month war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) will move forward this week.

The Sudanese army has all but rejected the invitation, while the RSF has continued its costly offensives in parts of the country, despite welcoming the U.S. and Saudi initiatives.

Failure of efforts to bring the war to an end would exacerbate a conflict that has created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, pushing 10 million people out of their homes and creating famine-like conditions across the country.

“We will move forward with this event this week. That has been made clear to the parties,” Tom Perriello, the U.S. special envoy to Sudan, said in Geneva, where talks are set to begin on Wednesday.

In a taped speech on Monday, RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo reiterated his force’s participation in the talks, while also announcing a new force to protect civilians.

“The country is experiencing a state of collapse due to the current war, causing significant security instability and chaos,” he said, saying his forces were exhausted fighting “rogue criminals.”

Eyewitnesses told Reuters the RSF has struggled to control unruly fighters it has recruited for its advance through the centre of the country, putting its ability to comply with a ceasefire in question.

The RSF has also in recent days continued its assault in Omdurman, near the capital, killing children in a designated “safe space”, according to UNICEF, and attacking a maternity hospital, according to the government.

It also killed or injured at least 40 people during morning prayers in al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur where fighting has intensified over the past week, according to local activists, as it seeks to solidify its hold over the west of the country.

“How serious (the RSF) are about negotiating a deal and compliance is a question we and the Sudanese people want to have an answer to,” Perriello said on Monday.

The talks are the latest in several international efforts to bring an end to the war, and aim to agree on a cessation of violence, broader humanitarian access, and a mechanism to monitor and ensure implementation.