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| Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and Gen. Abdel Fattah |
The warring generals of Sudan have reportedly agreed to send delegates to discussions, possibly in Saudi Arabia. Late on Sunday, the military and the RSF both said that the cease-fire would continue for a further 72 hours. Even nevertheless, violence broke out in Khartoum early on Monday.
Direct negotiations would be the first significant sign of progress since combat broke out between the army and a competing paramilitary organization known as the Rapid Support Forces on April 15.
Both the RSF commander Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and army leader Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan have seemed committed to fighting to the last finish during most of the battle.
UN Envoy Volker Perthes stated that the discussions' initial focus will be on creating a "stable and reliable" cease-fire that would be observed by both domestic and foreign monitors, but he cautioned that the talks would still face difficulties.
Perthes, who is in Port Sudan, said it is still extremely difficult to persuade the two parties to respect a true cease-fire where breaches are avoided. One option, he added, was to set up a monitoring system with both Sudanese and international monitors, "but that has to be negotiated."
He said that discussions on formalizing the cease-fire may take place in South Sudan or Saudi Arabia, with the former potentially offering logistical advantages due to its strong relations with both sides.
However, he added, even talks in Saudi Arabia are difficult because they require safe passage through the other side's territory. "That is very difficult in a situation where there is a lack of trust," he said.
Residents in Omdurman and sections of Khartoum reported hearing explosions and gunfire on Monday, hours after the two sides agreed to extend the cease-fire by 72 hours.
Only in certain locations has fighting subsided over the last week due to a series of brief cease-fires; in other regions, violent combat has persisted to evict residents from their homes and plunge the nation into chaos.
According to Perthes, access to citizens who are hurt or trapped in their houses is essential during a genuine cease-fire. "If we don’t get a stable cease-fire, then it means that the humanitarian situation will be even worse."
In a nation where several parties have engaged in numerous civil conflicts over the previous ten years, he further cautioned that the battle may attract more armed organizations. "And that could transform into a broader confrontation between different groups and communities and militias in the country," he said.