JEDDAH: A Sudanese government delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on Friday for consultations with US mediators on conditions for civil war ceasefire negotiations next week in Geneva.

The talks will be co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and the US with the African Union, Egypt, the UAE, and the UN as observers, 16 months after fighting broke out between Sudan’s regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

The war has killed tens of thousands, uprooted millions, and triggered a dire humanitarian crisis and warnings of famine.

Both sides have been accused of war crimes, including deliberately targeting civilians.

The paramilitary forces swiftly accepted the invitation to talks, but the army called for “more discussions.”

Military chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan said: “We will not lay down our guns until we clean this country of every conspirator and every rebel.”