The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern on Sunday that the signing of an agreement by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as “Hemedti”, with a supportive political group might pave the way for the division of the country. The ministry stressed the necessity of the RSF’s commitment to the Jeddah Declaration and the evacuation of citizens’ homes as prerequisites for starting new talks.
The Ministry also confirmed that the RSF is imposing a siege on entire residential areas in Khartoum. On the previous Tuesday, the RSF and the Civil Democratic Forces Coordination (TAQADAM) announced the signing of the “Addis Ababa Declaration” aimed at halting the war in the country. According to the declaration, the RSF is prepared to immediately and unconditionally stop hostilities through direct negotiations with the Sudanese army. Both parties to the Addis Ababa Declaration emphasized that sustainable peace in Sudan must be based on definitively ending the multiplicity of armies and forming a single professional army that represents everyone.
Sudanese Sovereignty Council Chairman and Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said on Friday that there is no possibility of reconciliation or reaching an agreement with the RSF, asserting that the army will continue its battle to recover all of Sudan. Al-Burhan accused the RSF of committing “war crimes” and stated that the army’s dealings with them “will be on the battlefield.”
Al-Burhan also accused the RSF of wanting to destroy Sudan and attacking areas where the army is not present, inhabited only by civilians. He expressed regret that “some politicians applaud Hemedti despite everything he has done in terms of killing”. He added that “politicians who agreed with the RSF are mistaken and their agreement is unacceptable,” calling on political forces to engage in dialogue with the army in Port Sudan. Al-Burhan continued, saying “We will fight until the RSF is finished or we are finished,” and expressed his support for what he called “the popular resistance against the RSF,” stating that the army would arm and invite them to fight alongside it.
