Sudan announced on Tuesday the suspension of its involvement in mediation efforts with IGAD, an East African regional group, which has been facilitating talks between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces engaged in prolonged conflict.
The army-controlled foreign ministry cited a disagreement over the inclusion of Sudan on the agenda of an upcoming meeting in Kampala, Uganda, prompting the suspension.
IGAD had previously proposed mediating talks and hosting a meeting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Forces (RSF), both of whom had initially agreed to participate.
Sudan has since April 15, 2023 been plunged into a civil war pitting army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The conflict has resulted in a devastating toll, with over 12,190 casualties and the displacement of more than seven million people, according to estimates by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project and UN figures, respectively.
Mediation efforts have faced significant obstacles due to deep-seated animosity between the rival factions. Despite Burhan’s administration continuing to issue statements as Sudan’s government, Dagalo’s Rapid Support Forces assert control over Khartoum’s streets, Darfur, and a substantial part of Al-Jazira, once Sudan’s vital agricultural region.
