Sudan ruler rules out negotiations with RSF, calls for their surrender

PORT SUDAN, Sudan

Sudan’s military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, on Monday ruled out any negotiations with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), saying the only solution is for them to lay down their arms and gather in designated areas.

Since its launch on September 26, the army has made significant gains in its military campaign against the RSF, reclaiming numerous positions in the capital, Khartoum, and Sennar state.

“There is no settlement and no negotiation,” Burhan said during a conference on women’s issues in eastern Sudan. “We have proposed a settlement: that these rebels lay down their arms and gather in specific areas, then the Sudanese people will consider their fate.”

He accused the RSF of besieging El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, as well as South and West Kordofan, and parts of other states, cutting off food and water supplies, killing civilians, and raping women. “Negotiate with him about what? We will not negotiate with him,” Burhan said.

He stressed that the army and other security forces are determined to “eliminate the rebellion and eradicate the criminal terrorist militia of the Daglo family,” referring to the RSF.

Burhan also denied calling for a conference of political forces, saying “this talk is untrue and we have not invited politicians or anyone to negotiate and establish a platform.”

He added: “Our hands are extended to every sincere Sudanese who is jealous for his country and has repented. The door to repentance is open to all, and repentance has conditions. It is known that those who repent deprecate the work they were doing before.”

The military-led government has pursued criminal charges against leaders of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition, accusing them of collaborating with the RSF. The public prosecutor’s office says it has evidence that some FFC leaders were involved in war crimes, which the coalition denies.

Burhan also praised Sudanese women for standing with the armed forces and supporting them in defending the country, calling for the utilization of resources in the east to develop and empower women in the region.

He acknowledged harmful practices that have marginalized large segments of society, saying: “I have seen women living on the margins of life in remote areas without education or health. We want to correct this matter and care for these communities.”

Women have paid a heavy price due to the ongoing conflict, especially those heading households after the widespread destruction of infrastructure and livelihoods. They also face horrific violations, including rape, forced displacement, and sexual exploitation.