(CNN) Rival military factions fighting for control of Sudan are to hold face-to-face talks for the first time since fighting began last month.
The meeting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is aimed at ending the conflict and will take place in the Saudi city of Jeddah, according to Saudi Arabia and the United States.
The fighting began on April 15 and since then a series of ceasefires have collapsed.
Saudi Arabia and the US welcomed the start of “pre-negotiation” discussions, which will take place on Saturday, and called on both factions to “actively participate in discussions leading to a ceasefire and an end to the conflict.”
“(We) urge both parties to consider the interests of the Sudanese country and its people,” the two countries said in a press release on Friday.
Since the start of the fighting, hundreds have been killed and thousands more injured. According to data from UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) released on Friday, at least 190 children have been killed and 1,700 injured in the fighting.
A tentative ceasefire currently allows foreign countries to evacuate their citizens — but locals face worsening conditions and shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel.
Hospitals are targeted
Meanwhile, people on the ground in the country told CNN that RSF fighters are trying to control “strategically located” hospitals that can be used as bases for paramilitary forces.
RSF has completely captured the Omdurman Maternity Hospital, a senior medical employee at a Khartoum state hospital told CNN.
The source, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, told CNN that he confirmed this by talking to several hospital staff.
He said the RSF targeted hospitals because they needed cover from airstrikes, “especially after their main military bases were completely destroyed by the army in the first days of the war.”
“For the past few days, they (have) taken control of the maternity hospital in Omdurman. It is the largest obstetrics and gynecology hospital in the whole country. (The RSF) parked most of their vehicles inside the hospital grounds. It is a very good that cover … It was impossible for the army (SAF) to strike it by air because the surrounding area was full of civilians, it was in the middle of three big neighborhoods.”
A second medical source, who works at another hospital in Khartoum and also wishes to remain anonymous, confirmed that the RSF took over the Omdurman Maternity Hospital.
CNN was unable to contact the hospital due to network connectivity issues in Sudan. However, it got a widely circulated statement reportedly issued by the administration of Omdurman Maternity Hospital saying that the hospital was “attacked” at dawn on Thursday by RSF forces.
“They entered the hospital and stole from the exchange counter about 20 million Sudanese pounds, including the deposits (of the patients) according to the financial statements of the counter. They also fired the workers from the hospital so that the hospital became completely under their full control, and their vehicles entered the hospital (area),” the statement read.
CNN has not independently verified these claims, nor has CNN reached the paramilitary RSF for comment.
Omdurman is the most populous city in Sudan, located less than an hour northwest of the center of the capital and often referred to as Khartoum’s twin city.
A manager of another hospital in Khartoum expressed concerns about the spread of gangs throughout the two cities.
“These gangs have become more aggressive, robbing banks and markets, and destroying shops. They have already stolen large sums of money from Khartoum Bank. “said the manager.
