Sudan's stalemate: Al-Burhan says no ceasefire unless RSF surrenders
Sudan President of the Transitional Sovereign Council Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan addresses the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York City, US on September 21, 2023.
Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has used his podium at the United Nations to lay down the conditions for any peace in the country, seeing his rivals as the main aggressors.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Friday, Burhan said he was ready to pursue peace if the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) laid down their arms.
“We are keen on stopping the war and restoring peace and security, without any pre-conditions,” Army Chief Abdel-Fattah al Burhan told reporters in New York, where he was attending the UN General Assembly meetings for the second year running.
But he did have preconditions. One is that he wants RSF to agree to previous commitments to end hostilities.
“We will never sit with Hemedti unless his forces pull out, and unless they implement what we agreed to."
Hemedti is the nickname of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdani Daglo, who was once Burhan's ally but became his enemy after the two sides disagreed over the transition. This plunged the country into a deadly war in April last year. Today, at least 18,000 people have been killed and more than 11 million driven from their homes. The country is now on the brink of famine, but Burhan argued that the hunger situation in Sudan is largely due to poor supply lines rather than a lack of food.
Addressing the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Burhan reiterated his country's readiness to participate in any initiative aimed at ending the ongoing war in the country.
But he also accused unnamed regional countries of providing funding, weapons and mercenaries to the RSF.
"We, in the Sudanese government, are ready to engage in any initiative that ends this war as long as that initiative supports national ownership of the solution and ends the militia’s occupation of various areas."
Earlier, Burhan accused the United Arab Emirates of fuelling the war by arming RSF, a claim Abu Dhabi has often denied in public forums.
A UN panel of experts also found credible evidence that the UAE had armed RSF. But Burhan later spoke to UAE leaders in New York and said they had promised to reconsider their support for RSF.
On the sidelines of the Assembly, Burhan met with several country representatives and conference participants to discuss the current situation in Sudan and ways to support efforts to achieve stability and peace. Many participants expressed their concern about the humanitarian and political conditions in Sudan and their willingness to support any solution that calls for sustainable peace.
Burhan added that the army-backed government would not accept the participation of any country supporting the RSF in the peace process, stressing that any peace process must include the disarmament of the RSF and a comprehensive political settlement. He reiterated the army's determination to defeat those he described as "aggressors", saying, "We are determined to defeat and repel these aggressors, no matter what support they receive".
Al-Burhan's comments came amid a military escalation in the capital Khartoum, where the army launched an attack using heavy artillery fire and air strikes to retake areas controlled by the RSF.
In response, the RSF leader announced on Thursday his willingness to implement a nationwide ceasefire and facilitate the delivery of aid.
In a recorded message addressed to the United Nations General Assembly, Hemedti said, "Our country is still living a tragic reality caused by the war ignited by the old regime, where the forces of regression and darkness used the armed forces to resist change and obstruct the democratic transition."
He rejected Burhan's participation as a representative of Sudan in the 79th session of the General Assembly, emphasising that "Al -Burhan's invitation to participate in United Nations meetings serves the agendas of war advocates and encourages military coups."
Hemedti also announced the RSF's full readiness to cease fire throughout Sudan to allow humanitarian aid to pass and provide safe corridors for civilians and relief workers, affirming their readiness to start serious and comprehensive negotiations leading to a political solution and the establishment of a civilian government that leads the country towards democratic transition and lasting peace.
However, the two sides continued battling on the field even as their leaders offer a truce.
