Sudan proposes Turkey, Qatar as mediators in talks with RSF

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Sudan has proposed involving Turkey and Qatar in mediating peace negotiations between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to achieve a fairer and more balanced agreement.

Sudanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yassir Mohamed Ali conveyed the proposal in an interview with ANTARA in Jakarta on Wednesday.

“If you want to make a real peace talk, we have to involve other mediators, Turkey and Qatar. This is the proposal from the government of Sudan,” Ali said.

The initiative follows an earlier proposal by the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to mediate peace efforts in Sudan.

Ali said Sudan considers Saudi Arabia and Egypt reliable partners but accuses the United States of double standards for allegedly allowing the UAE to support the RSF, which has been fighting the army and killing civilians in El-Fasher and other areas.

He argued that the US and UAE had pushed ceasefire terms that were unfair to the Sudanese government and its people.

“You cannot impose sanctions on the government and equate sanctions between the aggressor and the defender,” he stated.

For that reason, Sudan proposed the inclusion of additional mediators. However, Ali said some countries appeared reluctant to support the idea.

“Because they know if Turkey and Qatar come together with Saudi and Egypt, they will form a majority and can lead the rest of these other countries toward a rational settlement acceptable to the government of Sudan,” he said.

Ali stressed that mediators could not impose peace terms on Khartoum, as the Sudanese army currently holds the upper hand over the RSF and controls most of the country’s territory.

“You cannot accept somebody who’s the aggressor, supported by them, and they want to force a peace that serves that aggressor’s policy, which is ultimately their agenda,” he said.

Since April 15, 2023, the Sudanese army and the RSF have been engaged in a war that has resisted both regional and international mediation efforts.

Ali said more than 150,000 Sudanese, mostly civilians including women and children, have been killed, while around 100,000 others have been injured or suffered health problems.

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