Warring Factions in Sudan Agreed to Protect Civilians and Humanitarian Aid, But Not Yet Over Armistice

JAKARTA - Sudan's warring factions committed early Friday to protecting civilians and the movement of humanitarian aid, but have yet to agree to a ceasefire and remain far apart, US officials said.

After a week of talks in the Saudi port of Jeddah, the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) signed a declaration that they will seek a short-term ceasefire in further discussions.

"The two sides are quite far apart," said a senior US State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A text of the declaration released after the talks said the two factions "commit to prioritizing discussions to reach a short-term ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of emergency humanitarian assistance and the restoration of essential services."

A US State Department statement said the two sides would focus on reaching a ceasefire agreement that would be effective for up to 10 days.

Negotiators working with Saudi Arabia and US mediators will next discuss specific security measures to protect aid supplies, the US official said.

A US State Department statement said the steps "will include a US-Saudi and internationally supported ceasefire monitoring mechanism."

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said in a Twitter post that talks and a commitment to protect civilians were a first step, and "other steps will follow".

"The most important thing is to comply with what has been agreed upon, and the Kingdom will work until security and stability return to Sudan and its people," the Saudi foreign minister said.

The army and RSF said under the agreement they would schedule "continued discussions to achieve a permanent cessation of hostilities."

US officials say it will be a long process to move from a temporary truce, once agreed, to a permanent cessation of hostilities. But Washington hopes both sides' willingness to sign Friday's declaration will build momentum.

Civic groups are expected to participate in the talks later, US officials said.

Meanwhile, the Forces for Freedom and Change, a coalition of political parties backing democratic government, called the declaration "an important first step towards ending the war" and urged both sides to comply with it.

Publicly, neither side has indicated they are prepared to offer concessions to end the conflict that erupted suddenly last month, which threatened to plunge Sudan into civil war, killing hundreds of people and triggering a humanitarian crisis.

Previous ceasefire agreements have been repeatedly violated, leaving civilians to contend with chaos and terrifying bombardments, running water and electricity, limited food, and a collapsed health system.

Meanwhile, a senior State Department official said the declaration signed Friday morning seeks to increase the flow of humanitarian aid and begin the restoration of water and electricity services.

The mediator hoped it would be possible "to arrange for the withdrawal of security forces from hospitals and clinics, and to carry out respectful burials of the dead," the official said.

The World Health Organization says more than 600 people were killed and more than 5.000 injured in the fighting. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health said at least 450 people died in the western Darfur region.

Many have fled from Khartoum and Darfur, leaving 700.000 people internally displaced and another 150.000 abroad, according to UN figures.