Assistant commander to General al-Burhan’s forces (SAF) Yasir al-Atta declared on Tuesday that the SAF will not negotiate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), even if the “conflict endures for a century”.
This bizarre statement comes during UN-sponsored indirect talks in Geneva between al-Burhan’s government and the RSF, aimed at addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis.
Speaking at a promotion ceremony for officers and soldiers of the Engineering Corps in Omdurman, al-Atta asserted, “There will be no negotiation, no truce, even if the war lasts 100 years.”
SAF’s second in command’s comments highlight al-Burhan’s unwillingness to end the conflict, aside from UN-sponsored talks other peace initiatives by Saudi Arabia, US, and African Union have also been ineffective in ending the conflict due to SAF’s persistence on key issues.
Al-Atta argued that negotiating with the RSF would only delay the conflict and worsen political, military, and security issues, hindering Sudan’s progress.
Al-Burhan’s second in command also emphasized SAF’s commitment to continuing what he termed the “war of dignity” until RSF fighters and their collaborators surrender.
He refuted claims of tribal support for the RSF, asserting that no tribe would back the violence and abuse attributed to the group.
“We stand with the will and decision of the Sudanese people, whose interest lies in the elimination of the RSF,” al-Atta declared.
These comments come after Sunday’s SAF air strikes on residential areas in Nyala, South Darfur, and El Geneina, West Darfur. The attacks resulted in civilian casualties, including deaths and injuries.
Since mid-April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a devastating conflict between the army and the RSF, which began in the capital Khartoum and has spread to vast areas of Darfur, Kordofan, Al Jazirah, the White Nile, and Sennar regions.
The escalating conflict has resulted in countless deaths and displaced over ten million people, raising alarms about an impending famine due to the lack of humanitarian aid reaching those affected.
