Breaking: Sudan suspends relations with regional IGAD bloc, cites reason

Sudan has suspended its relations with IGAD, a grouping of East African nations that has sought to mediate between the army and the rival paramilitary force that has been fighting it for months, over interference in internal affairs

The foreign ministry confirmed this in a statement on Tuesday.

IGAD had offered to mediate between the heads of the Sudanese army and the Rapid Forces (RSF), including hosting a meeting – to which both men had agreed.

“Sudan considers these actions to be a violation of its sovereignty and a serious breach of IGAD’s charters and the established norms governing the operations of international and regional organizations,” stressed the statement.

Sudanese officials are upset that a “rebel leader” was invited to a meeting for heads of state and government.

On January 13, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the head of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan would not attend the 42nd summit due to the failure of the IGAD to secure a meeting between him and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Sudan called for the implementation of this meeting before attending any further IGAD summits.

Despite efforts by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the IGAD regional bloc to secure a negotiated peace, the conflict continues to escalate, with the latest events reflecting a dire humanitarian situation and an urgent need for intervention.

The war that began on April 15 has devastated wide swaths of Sudan and displaced more than 7.5 million people. More than 12,000 people have also been killed in war-torn Sudan since April, the UN humanitarian affairs office said.