Khartoum: Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has firmly dismissed the possibility of any truce or peace agreement with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) unless they first disarm. Addressing a gathering in the village of al-Siraih, located in the central Al-Gazira State, Burhan asserted that dialogue or peace would not be considered until the RSF lays down its weapons.

According to Anadolu Agency, Burhan emphasized the unyielding stance of the Sudanese government, stating, "If the rebels do not put their weapons on the ground and sit down, there will be no dialogue or peace. We will not accept them in Sudan, nor those who stand with them." He further declared that the ongoing conflict would persist until either the RSF is eliminated or the fight continues to its ultimate conclusion.

Burhan highlighted the widespread suffering endured by Sudanese citizens due to the conflict, which began in April 2023. He affirmed the army's commitment to ending the conflict by defeating the RSF, stating that the rebels have inflicted severe hardship on the populace through acts of killing, torture, and looting. The army, he stressed, has no intention of engaging in talks with the RSF unless they disarm.

The Sudanese leader called for national unity and urged every capable individual to participate in the battle against the RSF. He rejected any notion of negotiations or truces, insisting that the rebellion would only be quelled through military defeat. Meanwhile, international efforts for a ceasefire have been ongoing. Earlier this week, US envoy Masaad Boulos urged all parties to agree to a proposed humanitarian truce, although specific details were not disclosed.

The RSF had previously agreed to a humanitarian truce proposed by the Quad group, which includes the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE. However, the conflict has continued to exact a heavy toll, with at least 40,000 people killed and 12 million displaced, according to the World Health Organization. The RSF currently controls all five Darfur states, while the army holds the majority of the remaining 13 states, including the capital, Khartoum.