Sudan FFC opens first meeting in Cairo to end conflict

THIS is Sudan’s Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) first meeting since the outbreak of fighting aimed at forming an initiative to end the conflict in Sudan. It is one in a series of regional visits across Sudan’s neighbouring capitals including Kampala, N’Djamena, and Addis Ababa. Read more.

Report from Ahram Online
By Habiba Hamdy
Published Monday 24 Jul 2023 - here is a full copy:

Sudan FFC opens first meeting in Cairo to end Sudan war

Sudan’s Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) opened its two-day meeting in Cairo on Monday in a bid to end the war in Sudan.

Members of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) commence their planned meeting in Cairo on Monday

This is the FFC’s first meeting since the outbreak of the war aimed at forming an initiative to end the conflict in Sudan. It is one in a series of regional visits across Sudan’s neighbouring capitals including Kampala, N’Djamena, and Addis Ababa.

The present challenges necessitate stopping the war and restoring Sudan’s path towards civil democratic transition, the FFC said in a statement.

The FFC will consult with leaders of Sudanese society in Egypt on ways of building a new future for Sudan and resolving the issues facing the Sudanese people, the bloc added.

Malik Agar, deputy chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, held a series of meetings and political consultations in Cairo recently. He also met with leaders of the FFC to discuss points of view and create national consensus on Sudanese issues.

It is imperative to stop any opportunity for the pre-2019 regime to turn the current conflict into a civil war, the FFC said.

The coalition called on the opposing Sudanese sides, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to reach a ceasefire in the Jeddah talks.

The FFC delegation expressed the need for a comprehensive and equitable political solution in Sudan that would establish a unified national army, democratic civilian rule, and sustainable peace.

The FFC meeting in Cairo is part of Egypt’s efforts to negotiate a peaceful end to the conflict.

Earlier in June Egypt hosted the Sudan's Neighbouring Countries' Summit to address the crisis.

Both the SAF and RSF welcomed the results of the meeting where it was agreed that Sudan’s neighboring countries will form a ministerial mechanism  comprising foreign ministers to address the conflict.

The FFC thanked Egypt for hosting the conference and affirmed Egypt’s pivotal role in helping to end the war in Sudan.

Forces of Freedom and Change

The FFC was formed in 2019 following the 2018 civilian protests and subsequent uprising. It consists of many political and rebel factions and formed the main opposition group in the revolution.

They participated in negotiations with the Transitional Military Council and previously signed the Constitutional Declaration that was meant to pave the road for democratic elections.  

The FFC faced multiple criticisms from other Sudanese groups such as the Democratic Bloc and the Sudanese Communist Party for signing the agreement which they believe did not fulfil the needs and demands of the Sudanese people.

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View original: https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/26/1259/505321/War-in-Sudan/War-in-Sudan/Sudan-FFC-opens-first-meeting-in-Cairo-to-end-Suda.aspx

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Darfur governor calls for Darfuris to take up arms

Report from BBC Live Reporting
Published on Friday 21 July 2023 at 8:48 BST - here is a full copy:

Sudan governor renews call for Darfuris to take up arms

BBC Monitoring

The world through its media

 

Reuters

Copyright: Reuters

Image caption: Tens of thousands of people have fled the conflict in Darfur to neighbouring Chad

Darfur governor and former rebel leader Minni Arko Minnawi renewed his call for civilians in the region to take up arms to defend themselves, saying the “current situation necessitates that”, Al Arabiya reported.

He said this administration was leading efforts to stop the fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the army, particularly in Darfur. The conflict is now in its fourth month.

Mr Minnawi has made similar remarks in the past, raising fears that Darfur, which is divided into five states, could descend into an all-out civil war amid growing ethnic tensions.

Elsewhere in the country, fierce fighting was reported between the army and the RSF in Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri, the three cities that make up Sudan’s capital.

Eyewitnesses in Khartoum said the army carried out the "heaviest" airstrikes so far against RSF positions in several areas. The army said it killed 18 RSF fighters in clashes in Omdurman and Khartoum.

Renewed clashes were also reported in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, after a lull in fighting.

The fighting has persisted despite continuing indirect talks between the army and RSF representatives in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

Read more on Darfur:

'I saw bodies dumped in Darfur mass grave'

West Darfur governor killed after genocide claim

Click here to view original. 

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SAF strikes RSF in Khartoum and North Kordofan

Report from Sudan Tribune - sudantribune.com
Published on Thursday 20 July 2023 - here is a full copy:

Sudanese army strikes RSF troops in Khartoum and North Kordofan

July 20, 2023 (EL-OBEID, KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese army launched air strikes on Thursday against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum and North Kordofan states as ground troops continue to engage with paramilitary fighters.

Since the eruption of the conflict, the Sudanese air forces have targeted the RSF positions in Khartoum and have reduced the arrival of their reinforcements from reaching the capital. However, recently, they operate also in strategic North Kordofan.

On Thursday, aerial bombardments were concentrated near Sports City in the south of Khartoum and in Ombada, west of Omdurman, as well as in North Khartoum and East Nile cities of Khartoum state.

Eyewitnesses reported that the airstrikes persisted into Thursday evening, with additional bombings in Omdurman’s Libya’s Market and the Al-Jeraif East and Southern Belt areas.

The escalating military attacks unfolded in parallel with renewed mediation efforts by U.S. and Saudi officials in Jeddah, seeking a ceasefire agreement to pave the way for political negotiations between the conflicting parties.

The army also accused the RSF of shelling residential areas south of Khartoum with mortar shells and spreading false videos to deceive the public.

The Sudanese army accused the RSF of seeking to use the bombs that inadvertently hit some houses during the attacks on the position of the paramilitary position in residential neighbourhoods.

Combing and special operations in central Khartoum were declared ongoing, with the regular forces successfully clearing RSF positions in southern Omdurman and eliminating their vehicles. Clashes in the Abu Saad area in Omdurman and Jabra in Khartoum killed 18 militiamen.

Combing operations in central Khartoum continue as planned, said the military spokesman adding that the regular forces reclaimed positions in southern Omdurman and eliminated RSF vehicles. Clashes in Omdurman and Khartoum resulted in the death of 18 militiamen, he added.

El-Obeid-based journalist Qureshi Awad reported heavy bombardment by the Sudanese army’s warplanes on RSF forces in the southern and western outskirts of the North Kordofan capital.

In response to the airstrikes, the RSF deployed anti-aircraft guns.

Awad added that the RSF bombings caused extensive damage to homes in the southern and western neighbourhoods of the city. (ST)

Image: Sudanese army chopper attacks RSF positions in Khartoum on April 22, 2023

View original: https://sudantribune.com/article275306/

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SAF seems open to mediation initiatives. Saudi-US initiative is advanced, resumption of talks imminent

Report at Radio Dabanga - www.dabangasudan.org/en

Published Tuesday 18 July 2023 - here is a full copy:

Army remarks spark rumours that resumption of Jeddah talks is ‘imminent’

Army general and member of the Sovereignty Council Shamseldin Kabbashi (file photo: SUNA)

KHARTOUM – July 17, 2023

The leadership of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) seems open to mediation initiatives. SAF Commander-in-Chief Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan praised the Saudi Arabia-USA-led mediation efforts in Jeddah and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lt Gen Shamseldin Kabbashi said that the army is open to ‘any serious initiative’ to stop the war.

El Burhan thanked the governments of Saudi Arabia and the USA for facilitating the negotiation process in the Saudi city of Jeddah and highlighted the importance of the initiative.

Kabbashi told Al Jazeera TV channel on Saturday that the army is “open to any serious initiative to stop the war that guarantees the preservation of national sovereignty”.

He supports a comprehensive political dialogue and noted that the Saudi-American initiative is “advanced”.

The dialogue should lead to the formation of a civilian government to lead the transitional period and prepare for elections.

“The conspiracy against the country is great” and the armed forces are carrying out their constitutional duty, Kabbashi said.

On Saturday, Sudanese government sources reported that government representatives had arrived in Saudi Arabia to resume talks with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

These developments followed a Saudi-US statement, in which the two countries pledged their shared commitment to ending the conflict in Sudan.

In a summit in Egyptian capital Cairo last week, seven of Sudan’s neighbouring countries also agreed on ‘mechanism’ to end the war.

In a visit to Nairobi, Kenya, Egyptian President Abdelfattah El Sisi stated that the summit complements other regional efforts aimed at ending the conflict and moving to peaceful dialogue.

Wide welcome

Within Sudan, Kabbashi statements were welcomed. Maj Gen (Retd) Fadlallah Burma, interim head of the National Umma Party (NUP), praised Kabbashi’s statements as “positive” on Sunday.

He called on the commanders of the warring SAF and RSF to immediately turn to the negotiating table in Jeddah to reach a comprehensive ceasefire and end the war.

NUP Secretary-General El Wasig El Bereir said in a post on Twitter yesterday that Kabbashi’s statements are “a courageous position that contributes to restoring stability in the country”. 

‘A courageous position that contributes to restoring stability in the country’

El Wasig El Bereir (NUP)

The head of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP), Omar El Degeir, also welcomed Kabbashi’s statements and called for an immediate cessation of the war.

Khaled Omar Yousef, another leading member of the SCP and official spokesperson of the political process that saw the signing of the Framework Agreement, said in a post on Twitter that he welcomed Kabbashi’s statements and considered them an important step towards stopping the war.

He expressed his hope that negotiations will resume through the Jeddah platform soon and that Sudanese, international, and regional efforts will be coordinated in a unified negotiating platform.

Mohamed El Faki, former member of the Sovereignty Council and member of the Federal Assembly, said that the statements of General Kabbashi are a step in the right direction.

Criticism

Mubarak El Fadiu, head of a NUP breakaway faction, commented that if El Burhan agrees to return to a truce after the losses it caused to the people, he will have failed the people.

He accused the Biden administration of “seeking to salvage what remains of the RSF” in a post on Twitter. 

He stressed that “there should be no negotiations with the RSF, except for their surrender”.

Three-month truce

Journalist and political analyst Abdallah Rizig said that Gen Kabbashi and the RSF have an opportunity to promote a peaceful choice in practice through a ceasefire agreement.

The RSF should, as a first stage, withdraw to its positions before April 15 and the ceasefire should be properly monitored.

Both El Burhan and Hemedti, or their representatives, need to fully follow the roadmap that was agreed upon in the Jeddah platform. Rizig also stressed the need for an explicit declaration from the RSF not to seek to take power through war, as an affirmation of good faith.

Liaison Committee

On Saturday, the RSF formed a liaison committee with political and societal groups and rebel movements in the country.

The committee, set up by RSF Commander Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo, is chaired by his adviser Yousef Ezzat and aims to hold “wide-ranging consultations to address the roots of the accumulated national crisis”.

View original: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/army-remarks-spark-rumours-that-resumption-of-jeddah-talks-is-imminent

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Ruto phoned Burhan and Deby - IGAD and Jeddah processes must work together for a ceasefire in Sudan

THIS tweet by Kenyan President Ruto @WilliamsRuto says: "The IGAD and Jeddah processes must work together to facilitate the realisation of a permanent ceasefire in Sudan. They must also push for the free movement of humanitarian assistance, the protection of refugees and the reactivation of the Political Process. Held a telephone call with the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan. In my capacity as chair of the IGAD Quartet of Heads of States on Sudan, I also spoke with the President of Chad General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno; our conversation centered around the speedy restoration of normalcy in Sudan and support for refugee-hosting countries."

The IGAD and Jeddah processes must work together to facilitate the realisation of a permanent ceasefire in Sudan. They must also push for the free movement of humanitarian assistance, the protection of refugees and the reactivation of the Political Process.

Held a telephone call…

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) July 16, 2023

The tweet is timestamped William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) 2:12 PM July 16, 2023 

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Sudan army to resume Jeddah truce talks with RSF

From Ahram.org

By AFP (Agence France-Presse)

Published Saturday 15 July 2023 - here is a full copy:

Sudan army to resume Jeddah truce talks with RSF: Government source

Sudanese army representatives have returned to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia for talks with their paramilitary foes, a government source said Saturday as the war between rival generals entered its fourth month.

People queue for bread in front of a bakery in Omdurman on July 15, 2023. Since April 15, 2023, the forces the Sudanese army chief have been at war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group. AFP

"A delegation of the armed forces has returned to Jeddah to resume negotiations with Rapid Support Forces rebels," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to speak to media.

The RSF has made no comment on returning to the Jeddah talks, which Saudi and US mediators adjourned last month after a series of repeatedly violated ceasefires.

Witnesses in the Sudanese capital Khartoum again reported clashes Saturday after a day of heavy fighting Friday left plumes of black smoke over several parts of the capital.

The war between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has claimed at least 3,000 lives and displaced more than three million people since it began on April 15.

The delegation in Saudi Arabia signals a return to diplomatic efforts by the army, after it boycotted talks in Addis Ababa last week.

Khartoum's foreign ministry had objected to Kenyan President William Ruto leading a quartet from East African regional bloc IGAD, accusing Nairobi of siding with the RSF.

Before the Jeddah talks were suspended, US mediators had grown increasingly frustrated with both sides' reluctance to work towards a sustained truce.

Experts believe that both Burhan and Daglo have opted for a war of attrition instead, hoping to extract more concessions at the negotiating table later.

Related reports

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View original: https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/504802.aspx

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UPDATE Sun 16 Jul 2023 01:01 BST

Sudan government representatives arrive in Jeddah to resume talks with RSF

Report by MEE and agencies

Published Saturday 15 July 2023, 23:09 BST 

Image: Smoke billows in the distance around the Khartoum Bahri district in Sudan amid ongoing fighting on Friday 14 July 2023 (AFP)

Full story: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/sudan-government-arrive-Jeddah-resume-talks-RSF

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