Sudan’s warring sides agree to first step in cease-fire push, U.S. says

The officials, who briefed reporters late Thursday, acknowledged the limited nature of the achievement. What have been called “pre-negotiations” will not stop the fighting or change the withering assaults on the ground that have caused the shutdown of hospitals and schools, cut off electricity and water and confined most of those who have not been killed or fled to their homes since the conflict began on April 15.

The declaration, one official said, “is the first step of what we hope to achieve here on the ground in Jeddah while the parties are here.” The next step is to “focus on specific measures” to implement what the official referred to as a “short-term cease fire” of up to 10 days. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the State Department.

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The goal is to come up with specific steps “to guide the conduct of the two forces so that we can get in some humanitarian assistance, help begin restoration of essential services … arrange for the withdrawal of security forces from hospitals and clinics” and allow civilians to “perform a respectful burial of the dead.”

The officials said they hoped talks on how to accomplish those goals would begin as early as Friday.

Several cease-fires have been agreed to but quickly failed since the fighting for control began between the well-armed forces. The two sides are led by opposing generals who in 2021 jointly overthrew a fledgling civilian government installed when President Omar Hassan al Bashir was ousted after 30 years in power.

The next step, should this first one succeed, the officials said, is to begin actual negotiations over a genuine cease-fire monitored with international assistance.