The U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan, Tom Brillo, has warned that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are preparing to launch a new attack on the city of El Fasher in North Darfur State, while the army continues to bombard the city. Brillo urged both parties to halt the shelling to prevent further devastation in the stricken city, stressing the importance of allowing humanitarian aid to reach civilians.
Sudanese Army Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan stated that his government would not join peace talks with the Rapid Support Forces in Geneva, Switzerland, vowing instead to “fight for 100 years.” Al-Burhan considered the Geneva talks an attempt to “whitewash the image of the Rapid Support Forces,” and emphasized that he would not accept “expanding the Jeddah platform or opening new topics for dialogue with the RSF.”
He further explained that he opposed the U.S. desire for the Sudanese army, rather than the Sudanese government, to send a delegation to the Geneva negotiations. He believes that “Sudan is facing an international and regional conspiracy, with mercenaries being employed to carry out its agenda,” noting that he is perplexed by the countries that have praised RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). Al-Burhan also pointed out that the international community’s commendation of Hemedti, whose forces are committing crimes, confirms that Sudan is indeed facing an international and regional conspiracy.
Al-Burhan’s statements come after the RSF hinted at declaring a parallel government in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, due to the Sudanese army’s refusal to negotiate in Geneva. Bashir Tabeek, advisor to RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), wrote on the platform “X” earlier that “the intransigence of the army leaders, their refusal to negotiate, and their preference for escalation and war may lead to the declaration of a government in Khartoum.”
It is worth noting that a few days ago, Al-Burhan reiterated his country’s stance on participating in the Geneva talks, saying, “We have adhered to our principled position of not attending the Geneva negotiations unless the Jeddah resolutions are implemented.”
The Sudanese army chief added, “Anyone who wants to stop the war should talk to the rebels who are attacking civilians in their areas. The violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces militias against the Sudanese people are unprecedented in all the world’s wars,” according to his statement. Al-Burhan emphasized that his government’s position on any negotiations is clear through the vision it presented to the mediators, according to a statement issued by the Sovereign Council.
The clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have continued since mid-April 2023, resulting in approximately 13,100 deaths. The total number of displaced persons in Sudan has reached around 7.9 million, with about 2.1 million fleeing to neighboring countries, according to United Nations data.
