ADDIS ABABA: Sudan鈥檚 government refused Monday to join a regional meeting aimed at ending nearly three months of brutal fighting, accusing Kenya, which chaired the talks, of favoring the rival paramilitaries.
A power struggle between Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), spilled into war in mid-April and has since killed thousands of people and displaced millions.
The east African regional bloc IGAD had invited the foes to a meeting in Ethiopia鈥檚 capital on Monday, while fighting still raged across Sudan.
Neither Burhan nor Daglo personally attended the talks in Addis Ababa, although the RSF sent a representative to the 鈥渜uartet鈥� meeting led by Kenya, South Sudan, Djibouti and Ethiopia.
Since April 15, around 3,000 people have been killed in the violence, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, but the actual death toll is believed to be much higher as parts of the country remain inaccessible.
A further three million people have been displaced internally or fled across borders, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Multiple diplomatic initiatives to halt the fighting have produced only brief respites, with the UN warning on Sunday that Sudan was on 鈥渢he brink of a full-scale civil war, potentially destabilising the entire region.鈥�
Previous truce deals have been brokered by 黑料社区 and the United States, but the east African bloc now seeks to take the lead.
However, on Monday Sudan鈥檚 foreign ministry said its delegation would not participate until its request to remove Kenya as chair of the talks was met.
The ministry had asked for 鈥淜enyan President William Ruto (to) be replaced... in particular because of his partiality,鈥� the statement said.

In a communique released after Monday鈥檚 meeting, the quartet noted 鈥渢he regrettable absence of the delegation of the Sudanese Armed Forces in spite of the invitation and confirmation of attendance.鈥�
Daglo had sent a political adviser to the talks in Addis Ababa, while the RSF in a statement denounced 鈥渋rresponsible behavior鈥� on the army鈥檚 part.
The quartet agreed to 鈥渕obilize and concentrate the efforts of all stakeholders toward delivering a face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the warring parties,鈥� its statement said.
It also called on the rival generals to 鈥渋mmediately stop the violence and sign an unconditional and indefinite cease-fire.鈥�
IGAD said it would request the African Union to look into possibly deploying the East Africa Standby Force 鈥� usually tasked with election observer missions 鈥� in Sudan 鈥渇or the protection of civilians and... humanitarian access.鈥�
Sudanese ex-rebel leader Mubarak Ardol, now aligned with Burhan, denounced 鈥渁 plan to occupy Sudan鈥� and moves to 鈥減romote military interference,鈥� while praising the army for boycotting the meeting.
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee was also in the Ethiopian capital on Monday for meetings with Sudanese and regional officials.
In a statement on Sunday, she had called on the forces loyal to Burhan and Daglo to 鈥渋mmediately end the fighting.鈥�
鈥淲e echo the call of countries in the region to prevent any external interference and military support which would only intensify and prolong the conflict,鈥� added Phee.
Experts say that both the army and the RSF enjoy support beyond Sudan鈥檚 borders. Neighbouring Egypt backs Burhan, while the United Arab Emirates and Russia鈥檚 Wagner mercenary group support Daglo鈥檚 efforts.
On the ground, residents reported battles and air strikes in several areas of Khartoum.
鈥淩ockets fell on houses of civilians,鈥� one told AFP.
Witnesses also reported fighting in El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan and a commercial hub some 350 kilometers (220 miles) south of Khartoum.
An army source said troops 鈥減ushed back against an attack鈥� by rebel forces in Blue Nile state near Ethiopia.