Kenya and Sudan seek to expedite 'slow' Jeddah talks

Sudan's military ruler Lt Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has met Kenya President William Ruto in Nairobi after initially rejecting the latter as the lead mediator on a war in the north-east African nation.

The Kenya presidency website said on Monday that "the two leaders held bilateral talks on the recent security situation in Sudan and the region. They also reviewed the state of ongoing peace initiatives, including the Jeddah and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) peace processes".

Talks between the Sudanese army and rivals from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) resumed in the Saudi port city on 26 October but mediators - including the US, Saudi Arabia, Igad and African Union - failed to compel both sides to uphold a ceasefire.

Mr Ruto and Gen Burhan called for an acceleration of the “slow” Jeddah talks and a dialogue framework through Igad.

Gen Burhan previously rejected Kenyan-led mediation efforts after accusing Mr Ruto of backing the RSF, which has been at war with the Sudanese army since mid-April.

Meanwhile, the RSF has denied responsibility for the killings of hundreds of ethnic Masalit in West Darfur State after the group seized the army headquarters there earlier this month. The RSF blamed the Sudan army instead.

The RSF’s denial came on Monday after a local human rights organisation accused the group of killing at least 1,300 Masalit people and holding 500 others in the town of Ardamata near the state capital, El Geneina.