Sudan - July 13, 2024

Storyline:
Sudan's warring parties started UN-led indirect talks on Thursday in Geneva, aiming at brokering possible ceasefire, protecting civilians and facilitating humanitarian supports.

At the invitation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's personal envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, delegations from both warring parties, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), had talks under a proximity format in Geneva. The two sides separately met with Lamamra on Thursday and Friday, and they will not have direct talks with each other.

General Commander of the SAF Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan on Thursday said that the army would not have talks with the RSF, unless they withdraw from all cities they have occupied, while the RSF on Friday said in a statement that they welcome the UN-brokered talks and look forward to constructive achievements and effective mechanisms for ceasefire and civilians protection.

Along with the talks in Geneva, clashes continued in the country. The SAF and the RSF on Friday fired shells at each other in several areas of North Khartoum. The SAF advanced towards Khartoum Oil Refinery occupied by the RSF and had several skirmishes.

In El Fasher, the capital city of Sudan's North Darfur State, the SAF dispatched fighter jets to launch large-scale air strikes on the RSF, while the latter struck several positions of the SAF with heavy artillery. Thousands of civilians were forced to flee their homes as fighting swept through residential areas.

The armed conflict in the country broke out between the SAF and the RSF in the capital city of Khartoum on April 15, 2023, subsequently engulfing other regions of the country, and continues to this day.

Shotlist:
FILE: Khartoum, Sudan - July 5, 2023:
1. Various of dense smoke rising from conflict zone;
FILE: Sudan - Date Unknown:
2. Various of houses; smoke billowing;
FILE: Sudan - Exact Date Unknown:
3. Collapsed buildings;
FILE: Metropolitan Area of Khartoum, Sudan - 2023:
4. Burnt car, rubble
FILE: Greater Capital Area, Sudan - 2023:
5. Various of charred vehicles;
6. Aerial shots of buses, pedestrians, armed personnel on pick-up trucks;
7. Various of vehicles carrying fighters;
FILE: Khartoum, Sudan - Exact Date Unknown:
8. Various of joint force, weapons;
9. Traffic, pedestrians;
10. Various of joint force examining documents;
FILE: Sudan - Date Unknown:
11. Various of people waiting in line to get food;
12. Various of people standing outside clinic, medical workers;
13. Various of tents, displaced people.

[Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland/Al-Arabiya TV/Middle East Broadcasting Center]