SUDAN’S warring parties have arrived in Geneva at the invitation of the United Nations to discuss the protection of civilians through possible local ceasefires. 

But one side in the conflict failed to show up for the talks on the first day.

Senior representatives of the Sudanese army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces accepted invitations to meet separately with Ramtane Lamamra, the personal envoy of UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Thursday.

Mr Lamamra invited both parties to separate “proximity talks” on Thursday morning, but, “regrettably, one of the delegations did not come to the session,” he said.

Mr Dujarric would not reveal which delegation did turn up, but he said Mr Lamamra and his team had met with those representatives and had invited both delegations to continue the discussions today.

“We urge the Sudanese delegations to rise to the challenge and engage in constructive discussions with the personal envoy for the sake of the Sudanese people,” he said.

Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April last year when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital Khartoum and spread to other regions, including Darfur. 

More than 14,000 people have been killed and 33,000 injured, according to the UN, while human rights activists say the toll could be much higher.

The war has also created the world’s largest displacement crisis, with over 11 million people forced to flee their homes, as well as allegations of rampant sexual violence and possible crimes against humanity. International experts recently warned that 755,000 people are facing famine in the coming months.

Previous talks between the two sides in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah broke down at the end of last year.