Sudanese army chief rejects political settlement with rebel forces

Sudanese army chief and head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has firmly rejected any political settlement that includes the reintegration of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), insisting such proposals would only delay the resolution of Sudan’s ongoing conflict.

Speaking to a delegation of Turkish journalists at his residence in Port Sudan, Burhan stated that the Sudanese Armed Forces remain resolute in their determination to defeat the RSF, which has been engaged in hostilities against the army since April 2023, SANA reports.

Burhan highlighted the severe toll of the war on Sudan’s infrastructure, describing extensive damage to vital facilities as “systematic and aimed at weakening the state.”

“The Sudanese people have not surrendered and will not surrender, regardless of the challenges,” he affirmed.

He further underscored the human and economic cost of the conflict, noting that Sudan had lost billions of dollars, with hundreds of thousands killed and millions displaced. Burhan emphasized that public opinion overwhelmingly supports the military’s efforts to defeat the RSF, which he characterized as a rebel force.

Burhan stressed the legal and constitutional legitimacy of the Sudanese Armed Forces, cautioning against framing the conflict as a struggle between two equal sides. He criticized international narratives that portray the war as a conflict between “two parties,” arguing that such representations mischaracterize the situation.

The army chief acknowledged that the military has withstood pressure with support from regional allies, including Türkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Eritrea.

Burhan also expressed confidence in Türkiye’s potential role as a mediator, stating that he had proposed Ankara’s involvement in the peace process. “I trust Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and believe Türkiye has the capacity to contribute to a political process,” he said.

By Vafa Guliyeva