Sudanese Army Chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan has pledged to continue the 9-month ongoing war with Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), as stated in his speech today (Friday). He affirmed that the Rapid Support Forces have committed “war crimes” and that the army’s approach towards them will be “on the battlefield.”
Al-Burhan also accused the Rapid Support Forces of attempting to destroy Sudan and attacking areas where the army is not present, inhabited only by civilians. He expressed regret that “some politicians applaud the leader of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), despite all the killings he has committed.”
He added, “Politicians who have agreed with the Rapid Support Forces are mistaken, and their agreement is unacceptable,” calling on political forces to engage in dialogue with the Sudanese army.
The Rapid Support Forces had earlier confirmed in a statement that they signed an agreement with the Civil Democratic Forces Coordination (Taqaddum), stating that they are “open to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Sudan through negotiations with the army.”
The ongoing war in Sudan, which erupted on April 15, 2023, is a significant conflict involving the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. This conflict has resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis, with widespread displacement, food shortages, and escalating violence.
The war began with the RSF attacking government sites, leading to intense fighting in Khartoum and Darfur. Both Khartoum and Omdurman saw divisions between the two warring factions, with al-Burhan relocating his government to Port Sudan as RSF forces captured most of Khartoum’s government buildings. Despite attempts by international powers to negotiate a ceasefire, including the Treaty of Jeddah, the conflict continued, largely due to the ineffective nature of these agreements.
