By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, Oct 5 (Reuters) – An envoy of President Donald Trump met the head of Sudan’s army over the weekend in Egypt as the US and other intermediaries have sought to end a devastating war that has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
DETAILS:
• “We also reaffirm the United States’ continued efforts, alongside our Egyptian partners and our other regional and international partners and allies, to advance a political solution to the crisis,” US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos said on X on Monday while describing his meeting with Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
• The rare meeting came less than two weeks after Washington withheld a visa for the Sudanese army chief ahead of a scheduled UN appearance in a move that Sudanese and other sources said was linked to a US-backed ceasefire proposal that Khartoum has resisted.
• Sudan’s army has been fighting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, when the two fell out over issues including how to integrate their forces in a planned transition to civilian rule.
• The US State Department said last month that neither the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary nor either of their respective leaders “represent legitimate, constitutional governance for Sudan.”
• The war has displaced more than 14 million people and unleashed waves of ethnically-driven killings.
• “The United States stands ready to support all efforts leading to a comprehensive dialogue among the Sudanese political forces, leading to a preliminary road map of the future of the Sudan,” Boulos said on Monday.
• Washington has accused the RSF of committing genocide and the army of carrying out war crimes. Both have previously denied abuses.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Caitlin Webber)
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