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Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan rejected a U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal on Sunday, saying some of its recommendations amount to calls to divide Sudan and undermine the country’s armed forces.
Burhan said during a meeting with army officers that the paper presented by U.S. envoy Moussaad Boulos “is the worst proposal submitted.”
He said it eliminates the armed forces, calls for dissolving all security bodies, and allows the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to remain in their areas.
He added: “The U.S. president’s envoy speaks as if he wants to impose certain conditions on us … We fear that Moussaad Boulos may become an obstacle to peace. We tell him that this paper of yours is unacceptable.”
Sudan’s army chief stressed the need to adopt the roadmap presented by the Sudanese government.
“No one in Sudan accepts the presence of these rebels, nor for them to be part of any future solution,” he added.
He also said that a cease-fire requires the Rapid Support Forces to withdraw from civilian facilities.
“We are not advocates of war… but no one can threaten us or impose conditions on us,” he continued.
Separately, Burhan said the army is engaging “positively” with the initiative of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, describing Saudi efforts as giving Sudan “a chance to avoid destruction.”
He added that Prince Mohammed bin Salman “explained the true situation in Sudan,” affirming that Sudanese people “value the Crown Prince’s efforts.”
The war between Sudan’s army, led by Burhan, and the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, erupted in April 2023, killing tens of thousands, displacing nearly 12 million people, and creating what the United Nations has described as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”
On Nov. 7, the RSF announced its approval of a proposed “humanitarian” ceasefire.
The proposal calls for a “three-month truce” during which both sides would be encouraged to hold talks aimed at reaching a permanent peace agreement and stipulates that the current government and the RSF be excluded from the political scene after the conflict.
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