Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on social media platform X on Thursday said that while US-backed Geneva Peace Talks are stalled by General al-Burhan’s refusal to participate, his Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and its allied jihadist militias continue their violent campaign against civilians.
In a blatant disregard for international and regional efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people, al-Burhan’s SAF launched devastating airstrikes on Khartoum’s central market, leaving dozens of civilians dead or wounded, including women and children.
A high-stakes diplomatic effort to end the brutal conflict in Sudan kicked off in Geneva on Wednesday, as a coalition of international and regional powers convened to address the deepening humanitarian crisis.
The talks, which are expected to last up to ten days, mark the latest attempt to bring an end to the fighting between al-Burhan’s army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has ravaged the country since April 2023.
Notably absent from the initial discussions were representatives from SAF, casting a shadow over the prospects for a comprehensive peace deal.
SAF’s attack on Khartoum market is the latest in a series of ongoing military assaults targeting populated areas since the conflict erupted on April 15, 2023, RSF said.
Al Burhan should appear in ICC court immediately. Today as the international community sitting in Goneva to ceasefire, the air force strikes the central market in Khartoum Bahry. pic.twitter.com/hUUSWnj9PY
— Amira Tibin (@tibin_amira) August 15, 2024
Sudanese group called on all human rights organizations and humanitarian groups to condemn the brutal Khartoum market bombing and repeated bombing of civilian areas by the SAF.
The RSF stated that the military’s use of warplanes to target civilians is a long-standing tactic dating back to the 1990s, previously deployed during the civil war in the south and in the Darfur, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan regions, leading to thousands of civilian deaths and mass displacement.
Increasing influence of the Islamist movement within the SAF and current military leadership’s desire to keep the war going to cover up the crimes of their corrupt regime is concerning, RSF said.
While the talks are shrouded in secrecy, the international community is watching closely, hoping for a breakthrough that can alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people.
The road to peace is expected to be long and arduous, with numerous challenges ahead.
The absence of SAF at the negotiating table is a significant obstacle, and the deep-seated animosity between the warring factions will require substantial diplomatic efforts to overcome.
