Clashes between forces loyal to Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and his ex-deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, have resulted in a minimum of 5,000 fatalities.

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh emphasised the urgent need to halt the fighting in Sudan and secure its unity and stability, in a meeting in Doha on Sunday.

Dbeibeh, who arrived in Doha late on Saturday at the helm of a high-ranking delegation, engaged in talks that extended beyond the crisis in Sudan.

Areas of mutual collaboration, such as electricity, solar energy, infrastructure, transportation, and sports, were also on the agenda.

Sheikh Tamim’s focus on Sudan follows his talks last Thursday with Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, who is grappling for regional backing against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

According to United Nations statistics, the war that erupted on 15 April between the RSF and the Sudanese armed forces has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced over seven million people, primarily in Khartoum and Darfur.

Al Burhan recently travelled to Egypt and South Sudan before visiting Qatar.

He discussed with Sheikh Tamim the ongoing difficulties in Sudan, reiterating his ambition to transition towards democratic civilian rule.

The situation in Sudan has drawn global scrutiny due to rights abuses attributed to both the Sudanese army and the RSF. Rights campaigners have accused the RSF and affiliated Arab militias of committing atrocities, including rape and mass killings, predominantly in the volatile Darfur region.

Both Sudanese government officials and UN agencies have relocated to Port Sudan, a city that has been unaffected by the fighting, and where the country’s only operational airport is located.

The dialogue is a major diplomatic development in light of Libya’s ongoing internal strife.

In their discussions, Sheikh Tamim confirmed Qatar’s allegiance to Libyan unity and stability, aligning with UN Security Council resolutions and endorsing peaceful solutions that respect Libyan sovereignty. Prime Minister Dbeibeh expressed gratitude for Qatar’s sustained support to Libya.

This meeting in Doha underscores the intensifying regional efforts to navigate the multifaceted crises in Libya and Sudan, and could herald more concerted international action in the future.