Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s army, rejected the United States’ support for peace negotiations that were scheduled to start today in Geneva and ruled out a ceasefire until the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) left occupied cities.
Burhan reaffirmed his position in an Army Day speech, hours before negotiations mediated by the United States were scheduled to start in Switzerland. Burhan declared, “Until the last militia leaves the cities and villages they have invaded and colonized, military operations will not stop.”Additionally, he rejected appeals for peace, claiming that “as long as the rebel militia occupies our homes, there can be no peace.
” The Sudanese army refuses to take part in the Geneva negotiations, as announced by Tom Perriello, the U.S. special envoy to Sudan, on X (previously Twitter).
He did, however, highlight continued American efforts to put an end to the crisis and mentioned the RSF’s willingness to engage in talks. The Sudanese government insisted on carrying out an earlier deal with the RSF inked in Jeddah in May of last year, which is why Sudanese-American meetings in Saudi Arabia a few days ago failed to guarantee the army’s participation in the Geneva talks.Burhan emphasized that respecting the Jeddah agreement—which demands the safety of civilians leaving combat zones and their protection—is the first step toward achieving peace.
Each party has accused the other of breaking the contract. Millions have been displaced and many people have died as a result of the army and RSF battle, which broke out in April 2023.
“Hired political group”
Burhan went on, calling the coalition of civilian forces led by former prime minister Abdallah Hamdok a “hired political group” and describing the RSF’s operations as a part of a larger “treacherous aggression” backed by foreign powers. “We will work tirelessly to celebrate the next Army Day with our country cleansed of the militia,” declared Burhan, vowing to carry on the battle. The Jeddah agreement, which was signed in May 2023, stipulates that civilians must be protected and that people escaping conflict zones must travel safely. But both sides charge one another with breaking the agreement.
Since April 15, the fighting has wreaked havoc across Sudan, extending from the country’s capital, Khartoum, to Darfur, Kordofan, and other areas. Millions of people are displaced as a result of the humanitarian crisis that followed, and there are acute shortages of food and medical supplies.
