The Joint Forces, a coalition of major armed groups that signed the 2020 Juba Peace Agreement, said they will not submit to an order by SAF chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan placing all auxiliary forces under his direct command.
Idris Laqma, a senior figure in the Justice and Equality Movement, said units fighting alongside General al-Burhan’s forces (SAF) against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are bound by the Juba accord’s security arrangements protocol, which remains their governing framework.
He added that any integration or demobilization must proceed through mechanisms set out in the Juba deal before falling under SAF law and any future reforms.
Laqma said Burhan’s decree mainly targets formations that emerged after the war erupted in April 2023—such as the “Sudan Shield Forces,” “Al-Bara ibn Malik Forces,” and elements of the “Popular Resistance.”
The stance underscores the fragmented military landscape: while al-Burhan seeks unified command and complete control, peace-signatory movements insist their legal and political status—anchored in an internationally backed agreement—cannot be overridden by recent directives.
