Al-Burhan Rejects Talks to Open with RSF Forces

Khartoum, Sudan – The commander of the Sudanese armed forces, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, stated that his forces will continue the fight until the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are removed from all the territory they control, ruling out negotiations to end the long-standing conflict in the country.

Al-Burhan made these remarks on Tuesday, while delivering a speech to a gathering of people in the Village 5 area, which is part of the Merowe district in northern Sudan, according to the Sudan News Agency.

He stated that what he referred to as the “military option” will continue until the RSF forces are removed from all of Sudan. “We will take back every piece of land they hold,” Al-Burhan said, emphasizing that the fighting will continue until the RSF forces are expelled from the country.

The Sudanese armed forces and RSF have been fighting since April 2023, following a severe dispute between the leaders of both sides regarding a plan to unify the RSF and the national armed forces of Sudan. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, while nearly 13 million people have been displaced both internally and externally, according to the United Nations and international agencies.

Al-Burhan's statements come as the fighting spreads to new areas of the country, and the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. At least 10 civilians were reported killed in an attack attributed to the RSF forces in the West Kordofan region, while several others were injured.

The Dar Hamar Relief Committee, a local humanitarian organization, has reported that RSF forces carried out an attack in the village of Abu Ajal, located in the southeastern rural area of En Nahud, and that there were violations against civilians there.

RSF is currently gathering troops in Western Kordofan, while Sudanese forces are advancing towards the cities of En Nahud and Al Khuway, following successes they have achieved in the Northern Kordofan region. On the other hand, in the Blue Nile region, more than 5,500 people have been displaced from villages in the region over the past three days, as the security situation continues to deteriorate.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Tuesday that the new displacement is due to escalating clashes and increasing insecurity in the region. The war in Sudan continues to have a widespread impact on the population, with fighting and displacement increasing, while hopes for a swift political agreement to end the conflict are diminishing.