The Sudanese army rejected a call to return to peace negotiations with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), following a conversation between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
On Tuesday, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Blinken discussed with al-Burhan the need to end the war and resume the U.S.- and Saudi-mediated talks in Jeddah.
These talks had stalled months ago after failing to secure a permanent ceasefire.
The RSF, for its part, announced earlier that it was ready for negotiations, but neither side had adhered to the commitments made in previous rounds.
Meanwhile, intense fighting continued in the northern areas of the capital, Khartoum, on Wednesday, with residents reporting heavy air and artillery bombardments.
During Tuesday’s call, Blinken also emphasized the need to cease hostilities in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.
Fighting has raged there since May 10, resulting in at least 145 deaths and the displacement of over 3,600 families, most of whom fled within the past week, according to reports from UN aid groups and Médecins Sans Frontières.
The RSF has surrounded El Fasher, raiding civilian neighbourhoods, while the army, fighting to maintain its presence in its last stronghold in Darfur, has conducted airstrikes in the region.
Residents reported that shells fired by both sides have destroyed homes, with few of the wounded able to reach hospitals. Water and electricity services have been cut off.
Thousands of people have been killed, and more than nine million have fled their homes since the war between the army and the RSF erupted in April 2023, triggered by disputes over the transition to free elections.
