The warring parties in Sudan have reached a preliminary agreement on a safe escape route for civilians in the country. The Sudanese army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) also stipulate that they will allow humanitarian aid to Sudan.
The Saudi Arabian news channel ‘Asharq’ reported Thursday evening that the parties to the agreement also made a ceasefire in Sudan a priority for them, but sources within the US State Department later contradicted that. According to them, the agreement only concerns humanitarian aid and the parties are still far apart in the peace talks.
The Sudanese army and the RSF have been holding talks in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah since last weekend.
Heavy fighting broke out in the East African country last month. In the capital Khartoum and in several places outside, armed militias of the RSF and the government army are fighting against each other. A truce was agreed a few times, but they were also violated each time. Also on Thursday there was fighting in the capital Khartoum and in surrounding cities of Bahri and Omdurman.
More than 600 people have been killed in the fighting and more than 5,000 injured, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). At least 450 people have died in the western Darfur region, according to the Sudanese health ministry.
According to UN figures, 700,000 people have fled the violence. Of these, 150,000 have fled to neighboring countries.
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