Sudan warring parties agree to two safe aid routes: mediators

The warring parties in Sudan have both agreed to provide safe humanitarian access into the conflict-ravaged nation along two key routes, countries staging talks in Switzerland said Friday.

War has raged since April 2023 between the Sudanese army under the country's de facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

The brutal conflict has triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

The United States has been convening talks in Switzerland since August 14 aimed at easing the suffering in Sudan and achieving a lasting cessation of hostilities.

While an RSF delegation came to Switzerland, the Sudanese armed forces (SAF) were unhappy with the format and did not attend, though they were in telephone contact with the mediators.

The talks, which concluded Friday, were co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, with the African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations completing the so-called Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan Group.

"The ALPS Group secured guarantees from both parties to the conflict to provide safe and unhindered humanitarian access through two key arteries -- the Western border crossing in Darfur at Adre and the Dabbah Road with access through the north and west from Port Sudan," a concluding statement said.

"Aid trucks are on the road to provide famine relief in Zamzam Camp and other parts of Darfur.

"These routes must remain open and safe so we can surge aid into Darfur and begin to turn the tide against famine. Food and starvation cannot be used as a weapon of war."

RSF commitments

The fighting has forced one in five people to flee their homes, while tens of thousands have died.

More than 25 million across the country -- more than half its population -- face acute hunger. Famine has been declared in the Zamzam displacement camp in Darfur.

The mediation group said the talks had worked to advance the protection of civilians caught up in the conflict.

"We have urged both parties, and received the RSF's commitment, to issue command directives to all fighters throughout their ranks to refrain from violations, including violence against women or children, the use of starvation or checkpoints for exploitation, and attacks on humanitarian operations and essential services such as agricultural fields, farmers and operations related to the harvest," they said.

The group statement also said the RSF had accepted a "streamlined notification system" to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery, with the group encouraging the Sudanese armed forces to do likewise.

The group said they appreciated the RSF sending a senior delegation to Switzerland to engage with the talks.

"Though we were in consistent communication with SAF virtually, we regret their decision not to be present, and we believe that limited our ability to make more substantial progress towards key issues, particularly a national cessation of hostilities," it said.

"The ALPS Group remains open to both parties joining future rounds of talks to urgently relieve Sudanese suffering."