Sudan's Sovereign Council Chairman and military chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has refused to agree to a ceasefire with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo until RSF troops withdraw from the cities they have occupied. Consequently, his delegation did not attend the peace talks in Geneva, which began on August 14 under the auspices of the United States, according to ZBC TV.
"Our military operations will continue until the last RSF fighter leaves the cities and villages they have occupied," al-Burhan stated, as reported by the channel. "There will be no peace while RSF troops occupy our homes." He emphasized that the path to peace involves implementing agreements reached in Jeddah regarding civilian protection and ensuring safe access for humanitarian convoys to conflict zones.
The conflict in Sudan escalated in April 2023 due to disagreements between al-Burhan and RSF leader Dagalo over the timelines and methods for forming unified armed forces and choosing a commander-in-chief. Al-Burhan advocates for a professional military officer, while Dagalo insists on an elected civilian president. Fighting erupted on April 15, 2023, in Merowe and Khartoum, quickly spreading across Sudan, resulting in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries. The opposing sides engaged in consultations in Jeddah throughout 2023.
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Photo: Christopher Michel/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS