Sudan’s Military Chief Rejects Foreign Mediation and Exiled Politicians, Pledges to Press On With War

Sudanese army chief Abdelfattah al-Burhan has rejected international mediation efforts and dismissed calls for negotiations from exiled civilian politicians, vowing to continue fighting the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) until they surrender.

Speaking in Omdurman during a memorial marking the army’s February 2024 breakthrough that ended a 10-month RSF siege of the Corps of Engineers base, al-Burhan described the operation as a turning point in the conflict and reaffirmed the military’s determination to regain full control of contested areas.

He sharply criticized Sudanese political figures operating abroad, including allies of former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, accusing them of undermining Sudan’s sovereignty and attempting to influence the war from outside the country.

Al-Burhan also dismissed discussions at the United Nations Security Council, signaling that the army would not accept mediation involving countries it accuses of backing the RSF. He ruled out any ceasefire unless the paramilitary force fully withdraws from areas under its control and relocates to designated assembly zones.

The army leader justified his hardline stance by accusing RSF fighters of widespread abuses, including killings, displacement, and destruction of state infrastructure. He said military operations would continue until the RSF is dismantled, adding that former fighters would only be accepted back into society as unarmed civilians.