Delegations of Sudan warring parties head to Jeddah for talks: reports
MTN Sudan announces that it will cease operations in Khartoum due to power outages as the fighting in Sudan's capital continues.
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A Sudanese evacuee waits at Port Sudan before boarding a Saudi military ship to Jeddah port, on May 3, 2023 (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)
Delegations of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are heading to Jeddah city in Saudi Arabia to hold talks, Saudi news agency Al Arabiya reported late Friday citing sources.
As fighting continues in the capital Khartoum, Sudan's largest telecom provider MTN Sudan announced on Friday that it has halted all operations in the city due to power outages.
MTN said on Twitter that it is unable "to deliver fuel for generators to their location due to the current circumstances," adding that is in contact with authorities and calls on them to find urgent solutions.
تنوه شركة ام تي ان، أن جميع مقسماتها بالخرطوم قد توقفت عن العمل مما أدى لانقطاع جميع الخدمات عن المشتركين جراء انقطاع الامداد الكهربائي و تعذر نقل وقود المولدات بمواقعها جراء الظروف الحالية. و إذ نعتذر عن هذا الوضع، نعمل جاهدين مع الجهات المعنية و نناشدهم لإيجاد حلول عاجلا pic.twitter.com/qrRzhI3kZG
— MTN Sudan (@MTNSudan1) May 5, 2023
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) confirmed on Friday that they had agreed to extend the ceasefire - mediated by the US and Saudi Arabia - for an additional 72 hours.
Sudan's warring sides have announced multiple truces but none has effectively taken hold.
On Thursday, the Sudanese military said on Twitter that "the operational situation throughout Sudanese cities and military areas is stable and calm, except for parts of the capital and El Obeid city."
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday admitted that "we failed" to stop the war from erupting in Sudan, where persistent fighting between rival generals undermined efforts to firm up a truce.
Deadly urban clashes broke out on April 15 between Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, who commands the regular army, and his deputy Mohammad Hamdan Dagalo, who heads the paramilitary RSF.
At least 550 people have been killed and 4,926 wounded, according to the latest Health Ministry figures, which are likely incomplete.
