Air raids in Sudan capital ahead of first direct talks

Air raids in Sudan capital ahead of first direct talks

Air strikes battered Sudan's capital on Saturday, as fighting entered a fourth week only hours before the warring parties are to meet in Saudi Arabia for their first direct talks.

Hundreds of people have been killed since the outbreak of the conflict on April 15 between Sudan's de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who leads the regular army, and his deputy turned rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

The fighting has seen warplanes bomb targets in Khartoum and the rival generals' forces engage in intense street battles in the city of five million inhabitants. Multiple truces have been reached, but none has been respected.

In a joint statement, the United States and Saudi Arabia said the army and RSF would hold direct discussions in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Saturday, describing them as "pre-negotiation talks".

"Saudi Arabia and the United States urge both parties to take in consideration the interests of the Sudanese nation and its people and actively engage in the talks toward a ceasefire and end to the conflict," they said.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan confirmed "the presence of representatives" from both sides, but there was no immediate indication that the talks had begun.

The army