In a recent interview with the BBC, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s army, stated his readiness to engage in peace talks with rebel forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The two factions have been engaged in a brutal internal war since April, resulting in the deaths of over 5,000 people and the displacement of more than five million.
Gen Burhan, who came to power through a coup in 2021, made these remarks after addressing the UN General Assembly in New York. He is currently on a global diplomatic tour seeking international support and legitimacy for his leadership, despite his failure to transfer power to civilian authorities.
While the United Nations and charities have accused Gen Burhan’s forces of targeting civilians through indiscriminate air strikes on residential areas, the general denied these allegations. He expressed confidence in his forces’ ability to achieve victory but acknowledged that the fighting had compelled him to relocate his headquarters to Port Sudan due to the volatile situation in the capital, Khartoum.
Gen Burhan emphasized that he would be willing to engage in negotiations with Gen Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, as long as both sides adhered to the commitments made during talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in May. He stated, “If the leadership of these mutinous forces has the desire to return to its senses and pull its troops out of the residential areas and return to its barracks, then we will sit with any of them… Whenever he commits to what was agreed in Jeddah, we will sit to resolve this problem.”
Gen Dagalo has also expressed his readiness for political talks in a recent video message. However, previous discussions of ceasefires have not resulted in a reduction in hostilities.
Gen Burhan dismissed concerns that Sudan would become a failed state like Somalia or a divided country like Libya, asserting that Sudan would remain united and intact. He expressed the unity of the Sudanese people in their determination to peacefully end the mutiny or combat it if necessary.
The United Nations has stated that neither side in the conflict appears close to achieving a decisive military victory. While Gen Burhan expressed confidence in defeating the RSF, he acknowledged that the ongoing fighting had hindered the functioning of diplomatic missions, ministries, and government organs in Khartoum.
Despite widespread evidence of civilian casualties resulting from indiscriminate air strikes, Gen Burhan denied deliberately targeting civilians. He attributed such claims to rebel forces fabricating stories and falsely attributing civilian bombings to the armed forces. He emphasized that the Sudanese armed forces operated professionally, selecting targets in areas where only the enemy was present.
The war in Sudan has reignited tribal conflicts, particularly in Darfur, where the RSF and supporting militias have been accused of mass killings, rape, and torture. The situation remains highly volatile, and efforts to achieve a lasting peace are crucial to prevent further loss of life and displacement of civilians.