Geneva   -   The warring parties in Sudan have both agreed to provide safe humanitarian access into the conflict-ravaged nation along two key routes, countries staging talks in Switzerland said Friday.

War has raged since April 2023 between the Sudanese army under the country’s de facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

The brutal conflict has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The United States has been convening talks in Switzerland since August 14 aimed at easing the suffering in Sudan and achieving a lasting cessation of hostilities. While an RSF delegation came to Switzerland, the Sudanese armed forces (SAF) were unhappy with the format and did not attend, though they were in telephone contact with the mediators.

The talks, which concluded Friday, were co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, with the African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations completing the so-called Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan Group. “The ALPS Group secured guarantees from both parties to the conflict to provide safe and unhindered humanitarian access through two key arteries -- the Western border crossing in Darfur at Adre and the Dabbah Road with access through the north and west from Port Sudan,” a concluding statement said.  “Aid trucks are on the road to provide famine relief in Zamzam Camp and other parts of Darfur.

“These routes must remain open and safe so we can surge aid into Darfur and begin to turn the tide against famine. Food and starvation cannot be used as a weapon of war.”