Al-Burhan vows to retake all RSF-held ground, rejects any peace talks

Sudan’s top military commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan addressed a crowd in Village 5, Merowe, declaring that his forces will recapture every square metre held by the Rapid Support Forces and will not engage in negotiations. He stressed that the “military option” will remain in effect until the RSF is removed from the country. The conflict, which erupted in April 2023 over plans to integrate the paramilitary into the army, has already caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced about 13 million people.

Recent RSF attacks in West Kordofan killed ten civilians and wounded several others, and the Dar Hamar Emergency Committee accused the RSF of multiple violations in Abu Ajal village. The Sudanese army is advancing toward En Nahud and Al Khuway after gains in North Kordofan, prompting the International Organization for Migration to report over 5,500 people displaced in Blue Nile state. A US senior adviser called for an inclusive, Sudanese-led national dialogue, noting that neither the army nor the RSF represents legitimate constitutional authority.