CAIRO (AP) 鈥 The first day of U.S.-led peace talks aimed at finding a solution to Sudan鈥檚 brutal conflict concluded Wednesday in Geneva with the country鈥檚 military absent and the other warring party鈥檚 participation unclear.
The talks come as the war-wrecked country faces one of the world's . The country鈥檚 military did not send representatives and it did not appear that delegates from the other warring party, the Rapid Support Forces, attended Wednesday鈥檚 session. Diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, The United Arab Emirates, the Africa Union and the United Nations were at the talks.
The northeastern African nation plunged into chaos in April last year when tensions between the military and the RSF turned into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, before spreading across the country.
鈥淲e are hard at work in Switzerland on the first day of intensive diplomatic efforts for Sudan to support humanitarian access, cessation of hostilities,鈥 a joint statement on behalf of the United States, Switzerland, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the African Union, and the United Nations read.
The statement was posted on X by U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello, along with photos of the day's discussions. No RSF representatives appeared in the photos, but the RSF said Tuesday that the paramilitary force's delegation had arrived in Switzerland.
A spokesman for the RSF declined to comment on the talks or the presence of the group鈥檚 delegation at Wednesday's session.
The Rapid Support Forces were formed from Janjaweed fighters created under former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who ruled the country for three decades before being . He is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and other crimes during the conflict in Darfur in the 2000s.
Meanwhile, officials continued to call for the country's military to join the negotiations.
鈥淥bviously, we would want to see all sides participate so that the talks can be as successful as possible,鈥 U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters.
But Sudan's military leader, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, said Tuesday the military would not talk about a cease-fire until the RSF stopped seizing civilian homes. He blamed the RSF for 鈥渇alsely claiming peace," while still committing acts of war.
Burhan that killed five people in late July on an army graduation ceremony he was attending in the country鈥檚 east, though the RSF did not claim responsibility.
鈥淭here is no peace while the rebel militia occupies our homes, cities and villages and besieges them," said Burham in a speech Tuesday to mark the national military鈥檚 founding. 鈥淭here is no cessation of hostilities without the withdrawal and exit of up to the last militia from the cities and villages that they have plundered and colonized.鈥
The conflict has killed thousands of people and pushed many into starvation. Its atrocities include mass rape and ethnically motivated killings that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, according to the U.N. and international rights groups.
Sudan鈥檚 war has created the world鈥檚 largest displacement crisis. More than 10.7 million people have been forced to flee their homes since fighting began, according to the International Organization for Migration. Over 2 million of those fled to neighboring countries.
Last month, global experts confirmed that starvation at has grown into famine. And about 25.6 million people 鈥 more than half of Sudan鈥檚 population 鈥 will face acute hunger, the experts from the Famine Review Committee warned.
