President Salva Kiir returned to Juba on Sunday after attending the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and that of the regional bloc IGAD which discussed the Sudan conflict, his office said.

Presidential Affairs Minister Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro reportedly briefed the media on the key points of the communique issued after the IGAD summit concluded in Kampala on Friday.

The statement said Mr. Bakosoro highlighted IGAD’s call to respect territorial borders in relation to the tension between Ethiopia and Somalia, and the appeal to Sudan warring parties to cease hostilities and engage in political dialogue.

Al-Burhan’s ruling faction has boycotted that summit, accusing IGAD of violating Sudan’s sovereignty and condoning alleged atrocities committed by the RSF in Darfur region.

In what could be another blow to the peace process, the military government led by General Burhan announced Saturday that Sudan has suspended its membership to the IGAD.

The junta protested IGAD’s invitation to paramilitary chief General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo to the summit.

The Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group have been fighting for nine months in a vicious war that has killed thousands of people and displaced more than 7 million people.

On Saturday, General Dagalo was pictured with President Salva Kiir of South Sudan in Kampala, where the latter called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between the warring parties in the Sudan.

The meeting also addressed the need to open the border corridors for refugees and displaced people to receive humanitarian assistance.