IGAD concerned by truce violations in Sudan

Juba. East Africa's leaders have expressed their concern over violations to a ceasefire in Sudan and urged the country's rival sides to talk, said the region's lead mediator in South Sudan.

The foreign ministry in Juba said late Friday that President Salva Kiir had spoken to the warring generals in Sudan about "his concerns and those of the IGAD leaders" from the East African regional grouping.

The US and Saudi governments confirmed direct talks between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces would start in Jeddah on Saturday to try and end the conflict that has raged since April 15.

Kiir was nominated by IGAD to lead regional mediation efforts and last week South Sudan announced a seven-day ceasefire to the conflict.

But it has not stopped the fighting between Sudan's de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who leads the regular army, and his deputy turned rival Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who commands the paramilitary RSF.

"President Salva stressed the need for the parties to observe the ceasefire and send their representatives to an agreed venue to commence talks," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"The two Sudanese leaders pledged to observe the current ceasefire" and Burhan had agreed to send his special envoy to Juba on Monday, the ministry added.

A spokesman for IGAD confirmed the statement carried the support of the regional body.

Hundreds have died and more than 115,000 people have been driven into neighbouring countries since the conflict began.

Sudan's army has said it was ready to abide the truce announced by South Sudan but the RSF said they were extending by three days a previous truce brokered under US-Saudi mediation.

Mediation efforts have multiplied and several truces have been reached since the conflict began, though none respected.

The army has said it favours mediation by IGAD because it wanted "African solutions to the continent's issues" and Burhan's envoy arrived Thursday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

IGAD nominated Kiir to represent the bloc in its "high level peace mission" on Sudan on April 16.

Fighting has raged in Sudan despite a threat of sanctions from US President Joe Biden against those responsible for the violence.

Sudan suffered decades of sanctions during the rule of autocrat Omar al-Bashir, ousted in a palace coup in 2019 following mass street protests.