The Sudanese government announced on Sunday that Abdelfattah Al-Burhan, the chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, and Workneh Gebeyehu, the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), have agreed to organize an urgent summit to address the escalating crisis in Sudan.

Al-Burhan discussed the matter with Workneh during his meeting with Djibouti President Ismail Omar.

The meeting between Al-Burhan and Workneh centered on ongoing talks in Saudi Arabia, where the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are engaging directly, according to a statement from the Sudanese presidency.

The statement also announced the mutual agreement on an emergency IGAD summit to address the situation in Sudan.

"The meeting concluded on the vital importance of expediting an IGAD summit in Djibouti to chart a definitive path towards resolving the crisis in Sudan," the statement said.

This meeting occurs amidst escalating violence in Sudan, with the RSF expanding its influence across Khartoum and the Darfur region, having secured control over four out of five states, according to the Sudans Post.

The African Union's Peace and Security Council issued a communique on Saturday, condemning the ongoing conflict in Sudan and calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the country.

(With input from agencies)

(Cover: A man stands by as a fire rages in a livestock market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, September 1, 2023. /CFP)