“Sudanese Army Halts Cease-Fire Talks, Says Diplomatic Source”

Sudan’s army has halted discussions regarding a cease-fire and humanitarian access, sparking concerns of renewed violence. The talks between the army and rival paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces (RSF), began in May and had resulted in commitments to protect civilians and two short-term cease-fire agreements that were repeatedly violated. The army and RSF had agreed to extend a week-long cease-fire by five days, but talks have since been suspended. The truce was brokered and monitored remotely by Saudi Arabia and the United States, allowing aid to reach around 2 million people. The war has displaced almost 1.4 million people, with over 350,000 fleeing to neighboring countries. Looting, power cuts, and water supply disruptions have affected areas of the capital, with most hospitals out of service. Some UN agencies, aid organizations, embassies, and parts of Sudan’s central government have relocated to Port Sudan, which has seen little unrest. The army and RSF leaders had held top positions on Sudan’s ruling council since the 2019 uprising that ousted former leader Omar Al-Bashir. They staged a coup in 2021 after falling out over the chain of command and restructuring of the RSF under a planned transition to civilian leadership.