The conflict between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to escalate, with army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan vowing to persist in the nine-month war.
Al Burhan’s recent stance is a clear rejection of recent peace efforts and lashing out at leaders who embraced RSF head, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
Burhan, Sudan’s de-facto head of state, expressed vehement opposition to Dagalo’s perceived elevation to a state-level figure, sharply criticizing President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa for hosting Dagalo in Pretoria.
He decried the camaraderie displayed by African leaders, accusing them of treating Dagalo lightly despite allegations of war crimes and ethnic cleansing against the RSF.
Dagalo’s initial foreign tour, commencing with visits to Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, South Africa, and Rwanda, has been construed by numerous political analysts as his endeavor to secure political legitimacy.
It marks a significant stride towards realizing his long time aspiration of assuming complete leadership of the whole of Sudan.
The conflict, initiated on April 15th, has ravaged Sudan, displacing over 7.5 million people. Burhan highlighted the devastation, particularly focusing on the ethnic cleansing incidents in West Darfur’s El Geneina, blaming rebel forces for war crimes and crimes against humanity, rejecting any reconciliation or agreement with them.
Despite a proposed ceasefire by civilian groups, contingent upon both military and RSF compliance, Burhan remained skeptical, given the RSF’s track record of unfulfilled promises.
The US has accused both the army and RSF of war crimes and crimes against humanity, intensifying global condemnation.
In a video released by his office, Burhan adamantly dismissed Dagalo’s ceasefire deal signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He branded his rival a “clown,” a “traitor,” and a “coward,” ruling out any possibility of an in-person meeting mediated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.
Amidst the mounting resistance against RSF’s actions in northern Sudan, Burhan made an audacious call to arm Sudanese citizens willing to combat the RSF, urging their allegiance to the military.
He painted a grim picture, warning of Sudan falling under the grip of “bondage and colonialism,” purportedly referencing alleged support from the United Arab Emirates for the RSF.
Dagalo’s recent regional tour, accompanied by photos disembarking from an Emirati-owned jet, has only added fuel to the fire, further exacerbating tensions within Sudan and drawing international scrutiny.
The war of words between Burhan and Dagalo not only reflects the deepening discord within Sudan but also exposes the complexities and challenges faced by regional and African leaders in navigating the contentious dynamics of the conflict, as they strive for an elusive path toward peace and stability in the troubled nation.
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