The military authorities in Sudan on Wednesday, rejected calls for truce talks with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces following a phone call between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Thousands of people have been killed and over nine million people have been displaced in the war between the army and RSF that erupted in April 2023 over an election transition process.
“We will not go to Jeddah and whoever wants us to should kill us in our country and take our bodies there,” said Malik Agar, a former rebel leader and Burhan’s number two on the country’s Transitional Sovereign Council.
Heavy fighting continued in parts Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, on Wednesday, with residents reporting intense aerial bombing and artillery fire.
On Tuesday, the State Department said Blinken discussed with Burhan to resume peace talks mediated by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, which has stalled for months after failing to achieve a sustained ceasefire.
The RSF has said previously it is open to talks, though neither side has adhered to prior commitments.
In Tuesday’s call, Blinken also discussed the need to cease hostilities in Al-Fashir, the North Darfur capital where almost 150 people have died since fighting escalated a month ago.