Sudanese army leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has announced that the military will not participate in upcoming talks in Switzerland with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following a drone strike on a military graduation ceremony that killed at least five people. Al-Burhan stated that the military will not retreat, surrender, or negotiate, emphasizing that they are not afraid of drones.
The RSF, which controls large parts of the country, has denied responsibility for the attack, attributing it to internal disagreements among Islamists. The rejection of the talks by al-Burhan comes after RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo expressed willingness for the group to participate in negotiations co-hosted by the United States and Saudi Arabia.
The conflict between the military and RSF erupted into war in 2023, resulting in mass displacement, casualties, and allegations of war crimes on both sides. Human Rights Watch reported widespread sexual and gender-based violence, while the International Organization for Migration highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan, with nearly 10 million people displaced and half the population facing hunger.
Despite failed mediation attempts in the past, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s envoy for Sudan recently held talks with delegations from both sides in Geneva, with hopes of bringing them to the negotiating table. The UN spokesperson described the discussions as an “encouraging initial step”, indicating a potential for progress towards reaching a resolution to the conflict.
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