Sudan Military Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Vows Total Victory and Rejects RSF Peace Talks

Sudan's military chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has vowed to seize every inch of territory currently controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), firmly rejecting negotiations to end the ongoing conflict. Speaking on Tuesday to a gathering in Village 5 within the northern Sudanese locality of Merowe, according to the Sudan News Agency, al-Burhan stated that the military option will persist until the RSF is completely removed from the country.

The devastating conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF erupted in April 2023 following a dispute over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the national military. According to UN and international estimates, the war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced approximately 13 million people.

Al-Burhan's hardline stance coincided with a reported attack in West Kordofan state, where a local charity group stated that 10 civilians were killed and several others wounded. The Dar Hamar Emergency Committee issued a statement accusing the RSF of committing multiple violations against civilians in Abu Ajal village, located in the southeastern countryside of En Nahud. Meanwhile, the Sudanese army has been advancing toward the cities of En Nahud and Al Khuway following recent gains in neighbouring North Kordofan, while the RSF has been massing forces in West Kordofan.

In Sudan’s Blue Nile state, deteriorating security led to the displacement of more than 5,500 people from their villages over a three-day period, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Tuesday. Amid the escalating violence, Massad Boulos, the US senior adviser for Arab and African affairs and an envoy of US President Donald Trump, emphasized that Sudanese parties must take the lead in resolving the crisis. In a post on X, Boulos stated that peace is achievable through an inclusive, Sudanese-led national dialogue and a transition toward a civilian-led government, reinforcing the US State Department's position that neither the Sudanese Armed Forces nor the RSF represent legitimate, constitutional governance for Sudan.