Sudan war: Sudan army chief ready for peace talks

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23rd Sep, 2023. 11:57 pm
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Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is open to dialogue with rebel commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo amid an ongoing conflict.
The internal conflict has led to over 5,000 reported deaths and the displacement of more than five million people.
Gen Burhan, who seized power in 2021, seeks international support and legitimacy for his leadership.

The leader of Sudan’s army, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue with the commander of rebel forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who he has been in conflict with for control of the country.

This internal conflict, ongoing since April, has resulted in a reported death toll of over 5,000 people and the displacement of more than five million.

Gen Burhan, who came to power through a coup in 2021, made these remarks during a rare interview with the BBC, following his address to the UN General Assembly in New York.

He is currently on a global diplomatic tour seeking international support and seeking to legitimize his leadership, despite not yet transitioning power to civilian authorities.

In response to allegations that his forces have targeted civilians, despite evidence from the UN and humanitarian organizations indicating indiscriminate airstrikes on residential areas, Gen Burhan denied these claims.

He expressed confidence in achieving victory but acknowledged that the ongoing fighting in the capital, Khartoum, had forced him to relocate his headquarters to Port Sudan.

Gen Burhan’s willingness to engage in dialogue with Gen Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, is contingent on both sides adhering to commitments made to protect civilians during talks held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in May.

“We are ready to engage in negotiations,” Gen Burhan said.

“If the leadership of these mutinous forces has the desire to return to its senses and pull its troops out of the residential areas and return to its barracks, then we will sit with any of them… Whenever he commits to what was agreed in Jeddah, we will sit to resolve this problem.”

In a recent video message, Hemedti also asserted his readiness for political negotiations. While both generals have previously discussed ceasefires, these talks have not yet resulted in a reduction in the ongoing conflict.

Gen Burhan, in contrast, rejected the notion that Sudan would descend into a state of failure akin to Somalia or become a divided nation like Libya.

“Sudan will remain united. Sudan will remain a state intact, not a failed state. We don’t want what happened in the other countries you mentioned. The Sudanese people are now united behind one cause, ending this mutiny peacefully or by combat,” he said.

According to the United Nations, it appears that neither of the conflicting parties is on the brink of achieving a definitive military triumph.

While Gen Burhan expressed a high level of confidence in defeating the RSF, he did acknowledge that the ongoing conflict had compelled him to evacuate the capital.

“In Khartoum, diplomatic missions, the ministries, and all government organs cannot carry out their duties as normal,” he said. “Because it is a war zone, there are snipers and military operations taking place. That is why no entity can now work in Khartoum.”

Extensive evidence points to the loss of civilian lives in Sudan due to indiscriminate airstrikes conducted by Gen Burhan’s forces in residential areas, with Khartoum being particularly affected.

However, the general refuted allegations that his forces intentionally targeted civilians.

“This is not correct,” he said.

“There are fabrications of some stories by the rebel forces, they bomb civilians and film it as if it was the armed forces. We are professional forces, we work with precision and select our targets in areas where only the enemy is present. We don’t bomb civilians and we don’t target residential areas.”

The former UN special representative to Sudan, Volker Perthes, told the Security Council earlier this month that “often indiscriminate aerial bombing is conducted by those who have an air force, which is the SAF”.

The conflict in Sudan has sparked renewed and intense tribal tensions, notably in Darfur in the western region.

In this area, the RSF and affiliated militias have faced accusations of committing mass killings, sexual assault, and torture.

Sudan war: Sudan army chief ready for peace talks

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