- Sudanese army chief warns UN of regional war
- Calls for designation of Rapid Support Forces as terrorists
- RSF leader says ready for ceasefire and political talks
Sudan‘s top military official, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has issued a warning to the United Nations about the potential spillover of the prolonged conflict in his country into neighboring regions.
He has urged the international community to exert pressure on the paramilitary groups he is currently engaged in combat with and designate them as “terrorist organizations.”
General al-Burhan made this plea during his address at the United Nations, following a series of diplomatic visits.
He specifically called for the designation of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as terrorists and for measures targeting their external backers, hinting at possible connections with Russia’s Wagner mercenaries.
“The danger of this war is now a threat to regional and international peace and security as those rebels have sought the support of outlaws and terrorist groups from different countries in the region and the world,” Burhan said.
“This is like the spark of war, a war that will spill over to other countries in the region,” he said.
“Regional and international interference to support these groups is crystal clear by now. This means that this is the first spark that will burn the region, and will have a direct impact on regional and international peace and security,” he added.
Conflict erupted in Sudan on April 15th following the collapse of a plan aimed at integrating the country’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti and formerly the deputy to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
Both sides have pointed fingers at each other as the instigators of the conflict, which initially broke out in the capital city of Khartoum and has since spread to various parts of Sudan, including the troubled western region of Darfur.
This ongoing conflict has resulted in a reported death toll of at least 7,500 people, the displacement of over five million individuals, and poses a significant threat to regional stability.
During his address at the United Nations, General Burhan called upon the international community to designate the RSF as a “terrorist” organization, emphasizing the urgency of this action.
“They have committed all sorts of crimes that give grounds for such a designation,” he said.
“Those who have supported killing, burning, raping, forced displacement, looting, stealing, torture, trafficking of arms and drugs, bringing mercenaries or recruiting children – all such crimes necessitate accountability and punishment.”
In a video message released on Thursday, just before General Burhan’s address at the United Nations, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Hemedti, expressed that his forces are completely ready for a ceasefire and inclusive political discussions aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict.
“Today, we renew our commitment to the peaceful process to put a halt to this war,” Hemedti said.
“The RSF are fully prepared for a ceasefire throughout Sudan to allow the passage of humanitarian aid … and to start serious and comprehensive political talks,” he said.
Despite previous claims from both the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) about their intent to find a resolution to the ongoing conflict and declarations of ceasefires by both sides, these efforts have proven ineffective in halting the violence and the deepening humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
Earlier this month, the United States imposed sanctions on RSF leaders, including senior commander Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, who happens to be the brother of the RSF leader. These sanctions were imposed due to alleged human rights abuses, including the killing of the governor of West Darfur.
The United States and several other Western nations have also strongly criticized General Burhan. In 2021, alongside RSF leader Dagalo, General Burhan sidelined the civilian leadership that had been a part of a transitional power-sharing agreement that came into effect after massive protests led to the ousting of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir.
Burhan said on Thursday that he was “committed to our previous pledges to transfer power to the people of Sudan with great national consensus and consent”.
“The armed forces would leave politics once and for all,” he said.
Efforts by Saudi Arabia and the United States to establish a long-lasting ceasefire in Sudan encountered obstacles as they coincided with concurrent international initiatives taking place in both Africa and the Middle East.
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