The armed clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been escalating across Sudan despite the ongoing peace talks in Geneva, putting efforts for a political settlement at stake.

In a statement on Friday, the Sinnar Youth Gathering, a volunteer group, said that at least 80 people were killed in an attack by the RSF on a village in Sinnar state in southeastern Sudan.

The peace talks in Geneva commenced on Wednesday in an effort to achieve a nationwide ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian access. But only the RSF participated in the talks, while the SAF declined to join, citing concerns regarding the agenda and participants of the negotiations.

"The announcement of the Geneva negotiations offered a glimmer of hope for ending the war in Sudan, but the hopes have diminished after the Sudanese government refused to participate," Abdul-Raziq Ziyada, a Sudanese political analyst, told Xinhua.

It is not possible to expect any outcomes of the talks in the absence of the Sudanese government and army, he said.

Ehab Abdullah, another Sudanese political analyst, said the Sudanese government is concerned that the Geneva negotiations could serve as a way to circumvent the previous agreement and provide legitimacy to the RSF.

"Until now, the U.S. administration has not been able to provide guarantees to the Sudanese government regarding the implementation of the commitments agreed upon between the SAF and the RSF" in their previous talks, said Abdullah. "This is the main concern for the government."

El Basha Tabig, advisor to the RSF commander, regarded the Sudanese government's rejection to join the Geneva talks as "procrastination."

"The lack of clarity of vision by the army and its government on whether to participate in the Geneva negotiations or not confirms the multiplicity of decision-making centers, which is a procrastination to avoid any process that leads to a ceasefire agreement," Tabig said on social media platform X on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Sudanese political analyst Abdul-Jalil Ismail remarked that the government's absence from the talks "will complicate the situation."

Sudan has been witnessing a deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023, which has resulted in the loss of at least 16,650 lives. An estimated 10.7 million people are now internally displaced in Sudan, with approximately 2.2 million others seeking refuge in neighboring countries, according to recent UN data.