Warring sides in Sudan signed a deal in Jeddah on Thursday night that is hoped will allow the distribution of humanitarian aid and the safe passage of civilians, but not yet a ceasefire agreement and negotiations are continuing, officials said on condition of anonymity. of American diplomacy.

Representatives of the military and paramilitaries, embroiled in a war nearly a month ago, on April 15 signed a “declaration pledging to protect civilians” and allow the safe delivery of humanitarian aid in Saudi Arabia, a State Department official said. who participates in the talks.

But according to US State Department officials, reaching an agreement on a ceasefire is proving to be a more difficult task as the parties are “still a long way off”. However, the same sources expressed the hope that the signing of the first agreement will give impetus to the negotiations.

All previous ceasefire agreements between the armed forces under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the feared Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries under General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, or “Hameti”, have remained unenforceable.