Egyptian President Sisi urges peaceful dialogue to stop Sudan fighting

Egypt on Sunday urged peaceful dialogue to end the fighting between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with the deputy head of Sudan's ruling Transitional Sovereignty Council, Malik Agar, in Cairo, Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported.

Sisi said reaching a permanent ceasefire in Sudan was a top priority, as was "initiating an all-encompassing peaceful dialogue that fulfils the Sudanese people's desire for security, stability and development".

Cairo is "exerting every effort to reach a ceasefire, prevent bloodshed and advance the peace process", he said.

Agar reportedly commended Egyptian attempts to preserve stability and updated Sisi on the situation in Sudan.

Sudan's army, commanded by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been battling the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), headed by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, since 15 April. The two fell out in a power struggle.

The death toll has risen above 2,000, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project's latest figures, whose data covered fighting until 9 June.

In West Darfur state's capital of El Geneina, members of the RSF and allied militias have allegedly targeted non-Arab tribes.

State Governor Khamis Abdullah Abakar was killed last week, with the UN saying that "compelling eyewitness accounts attribute this act to Arab militias and the RSF".

Sudan's warring generals agreed to a new 72-hour ceasefire from Sunday, according to US and Saudi mediators.

However, multiple truces have been agreed and broken during the two-month war. The US slapped sanctions on both rival generals after a truce attempt collapsed at the end of May.

Egypt has offered to broker peace talks between the two warring sides while imposing restrictions on the entry of Sudanese refugees.​​​​​​​ All Sudanese nationals now need to obtain a visa before they can cross the border.

Egyptian authorities had been exempting Sudanese women of all ages, as well as children under 16 and anyone over 50, from having to obtain a visa prior to arrival at a point of entry.

Agencies contributed to this story.