Arab League set to hold emergency meeting on Sudan violence

ANKARA

The Arab League is set to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss ongoing clashes in Sudan.

Arab League Assistant Secretary General Hossam Zaki said the meeting will be held at the level of permanent delegates in Cairo upon a request from Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss the latest developments in Sudan.

Fighting broke out on Saturday between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital Khartoum.

While the RSF accused the army of attacking its forces south of Khartoum with light and heavy weapons, the military said the paramilitary force was “spreading lies” and declared it a “rebel” group.

On Saturday, Egypt voiced deep concern over the developments in Sudan and called on all Sudanese parties to exercise maximum restraint. Saudi Arabia also called on Sudan’s rivals to pursue dialogue to resolve their differences.

The dispute between the Sudanese army and RSF came to the surface on Thursday when the military said recent movements by the RSF had happened without coordination and were illegal, with their rift centering around a proposed transition to civilian rule.

Sudan has been without a functioning government since October 2021 when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s transitional government and declared a state of emergency, in a move decried by political forces as a “coup”.

Last December, Sudan’s military and political forces signed a framework agreement to resolve the months-long crisis.

The signing of the final agreement was scheduled to take place on April 6 but was delayed. No date has been announced for the signing of the deal.

Sudan’s transitional period which started in August 2019 was scheduled to end with elections in early 2024.

* Ikram Kouachi contributed to this report