A Sudanese source revealed to Al-Jazeera that a mediation committee had persuaded the leaders of the army and the Rapid Support Forces to hold a direct meeting between them, while tension and escalation continued in Khartoum and Meroe.
The leader of the Freedom and Change Alliance – the Democratic Bloc Group – Abdel Aziz Asher told Al-Jazeera that a tripartite committee – of the leaders of the armed movements consisting of a member of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Malik Agar, and the head of the Justice and Equality Movement, Jibril Ibrahim, along with the head of the Sudan Liberation Movement and the ruler of Darfur, Minni Minawi – managed to From persuading each of the President of the Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the Commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), to sit in today’s meeting to resolve the differences.
Al-Jazeera correspondent in Khartoum, Al-Taher Al-Mardi, said that the committee met Hamidti today, and assured them of non-escalation and his willingness to meet Al-Burhan without conditions.
He added – quoting the mediation committee – that the meeting will take place today, without specifying a time for that.
He also indicated that there are mediation efforts by other parties – some of them external – that are trying to bridge the points of view and reduce the state of tension between the two parties.
Earlier, envoys and special representatives from France, Germany, Norway, Britain, the United States and the European Union expressed serious concern about the escalation of tensions in Sudan, and the risk of escalation between the Sudanese forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
The work of the Joint Military Committee ceased
Meanwhile, two sources in the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces confirmed to Al-Jazeera that the joint military committee, which includes officers from both sides, had stopped working, and was working within the framework of the security and military reform file.
The Sudanese army source added that the work of the joint committee faltered prior to the recent developments and after the divergence of positions, pointing out that the deployment in the Marawi region made sitting at one table difficult in light of what he described as a hostile climate.
This committee discussed a number of proposals regarding the time required to integrate the Rapid Support Forces into the Sudanese army and other issues related to reform in the military institution.
Tension continues
Meanwhile, tension and fears of escalation prevail in the capital, Khartoum, and the city of Marawi (in the north of the country), after the Sudanese army accused the Rapid Support Forces of mobilizing forces inside the capital and some cities, and warned of a dangerous turning point in the country.
Communications intensified from international, regional and local parties to contain tension, following the deployment of Rapid Support forces near Marawi Airport in the Northern State.
The army accuses these forces of sending more reinforcements to the city of Marawi, where the army also strengthened its forces.
Pictures were also broadcast showing the arrival of convoys of military vehicles belonging to the Rapid Support Forces to Khartoum, coming from the states, especially from Darfur.
The dispute arose between the Sudanese army – which is led by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan – and the Rapid Support Forces – which are led by Lieutenant General Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo – after statements by the latter in which he said that he had discovered from day one that the decisions of the army commander in 2021 that excluded the civilian government were implemented for the return of the National Congress regime. orphaned.
After signing the framework agreement, the army demanded the implementation of the agreement, which it said stipulates the integration of the Rapid Support Forces into the army, which will determine its movements, and demanded that it be subordinate to the Ministry of Finance and subject to government procedures.
For its part, the Rapid Support Forces said that it adheres to the framework agreement, and does not oppose the merger, but according to timetables, while ensuring that its officers are equal to army officers in privileges. It also demanded that the support forces stop what they called recruitment operations in the army during this period.
