On Thursday (14 August), Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, rejected any reconciliation or compromise with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). He declared that the ongoing conflict is a “battle for dignity, to defeat the rebellion, and to make neither compromise nor reconciliation, whatever the cost”.
Burhan made his declaration during celebrations marking the centenary of Sudan’s armed forces. The announcement follows a private meeting in Switzerland with U.S. Africa envoy Massad Boulos earlier this week, who sought to explore a fresh peace proposal. However, U.S. and Saudi-led mediation efforts have yet to secure a ceasefire or progress toward peace.
On Wednesday (13 August) the UN Security Council strongly condemned the RSF’s attempt to establish a parallel administration in western Sudan, calling it “a direct threat to Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity.” Meanwhile, the European Union and other international partners, including the UK, Canada, and Japan, urged the government and paramilitaries to allow unobstructed humanitarian access and protect civilian lives during the conflict.
Sudan’s civil war has entered its third year, with intense clashes between the regular army and RSF. The conflict has resulted in more than 150,000 deaths, displaced at least 12 million people, and triggered a humanitarian disaster marked by famine, disease, and infrastructure collapse. In the past both the army and the RSF have been accused by UNICEF and the Human Rights Watch of human rights abuses, war crimes and of obstructing humanitarian aid. The UN and regional stakeholders continue to call for ceasefire negotiations and immediate aid corridors to reach suffering populations.
Source: commonspace.eu with Arab News and agencies.
photo: Sudan refugees (picture courtesy of UNHCR, New York
