KHARTOUM – Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said the government would not enter negotiations that do not include dismantling the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), disarming the group and holding those responsible for crimes against Sudanese civilians accountable.

Speaking after Friday prayers at Sheikh Abu Guroon Mosque in East Nile locality, Burhan said Sudan had remained on what he described as the path of “truth and dignity” since the war began on April 15, 2023, adding that public support for the armed forces reinforced prospects for military victory.

Burhan said the SAF had “no middle-ground or compromise” on the conflict, arguing that ending civilians’ suffering required defeating the RSF. He said Khartoum would not participate in any negotiations that failed to provide for dismantling the group, surrendering its weapons and ensuring accountability for crimes committed during the war.

His remarks come as regional and international mediation efforts continue to push for a ceasefire and the resumption of a political process, while Sudan’s government maintains that any settlement must first address what it describes as the rebellion and the disarmament of the RSF.

Burhan accused the RSF of targeting civilians and critical infrastructure in El Obeid, including electricity, water and fuel facilities, saying the conflict was “not against the government but against the Sudanese people.”

The latest comments follow weeks of reported RSF drone attacks on El Obeid that have damaged civilian infrastructure and caused civilian casualties. The United Nations and the United States have recently warned of growing risks to civilians and the possibility of further atrocities if violence around the city escalates.

Burhan said those who believed the war could not end through military victory were mistaken, adding that the armed forces would ultimately prevail. He also argued that allowing the RSF to regain influence would lead to renewed abuses against civilians.

He said the SAF had driven RSF fighters out of Al Jazirah State, White Nile State and parts of Khartoum, adding that military operations would continue until the group was expelled from Darfur and Kordofan.

Burhan also referred to what he described as the military’s “needle-piercing strategy,” saying it would continue until its objectives were achieved, without providing further details.

He renewed his praise for what he described as the Sudanese people’s support for the armed forces, saying the military drew its strength from public backing. He also criticized calls by some political groups to reform or dismantle the military establishment, saying such matters were “not their business.”

Multiple regional and international initiatives have failed to secure a lasting ceasefire since the conflict erupted in April 2023. While the Sudanese government insists any political process must include the dismantling of the RSF as an armed force, the United Nations and international partners continue to call for a humanitarian truce and renewed negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.