Sudan Sovereignty Council chief says army open to peace, rejects RSF return to power

What the report says

Sudan’s Sovereignty Council chief and army commander, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said the military remains willing to consider genuine peace efforts even as it continues fighting the Rapid Support Forces, according to Anadolu Agency Africa. In remarks cited by the outlet, he stressed that the army’s determination to defeat the paramilitary group should not be interpreted as a refusal to support credible initiatives aimed at ending the conflict.

The report says Burhan also rejected any return of the RSF to power, underscoring the army’s opposition to a political settlement that would restore the group’s influence. The statement reflects the hard line taken by the military leadership amid Sudan’s ongoing war, which has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and driven large-scale displacement.

The comments are significant because Burhan is both the head of Sudan’s transitional governing council and the army’s top figure, making his position central to any future negotiation. While the article text was not available, the headline and source snippet indicate that the message was meant to balance a willingness to engage peace proposals with a rejection of arrangements seen as legitimizing the RSF.

More broadly, Sudan’s conflict has pitted the army against the RSF since fighting erupted in April 2023. Any statement from either side about peace is closely watched by regional and international mediators trying to secure a ceasefire and eventual political settlement.