Sudan’s de facto commander and army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has warned the United Nations that his country’s conflict could spread to neighboring African countries.
General Fattah al-Burhan also pushed the world community to label his opponents, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as terrorists in a speech.
Meanwhile, RSF head Hamdan Dagalo stated that he is open to a cease-fire.
Since April, Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war that has killed thousands of people.
Speaking to the UN on Thursday, Gen Burhan said his party was open to peace talks, and wanted to “put an end to this war and to alleviate the suffering of our people”, but said the RSF refused.
However, in a rare video message to the UN, his opponent, Gen Dagalo – also known as Hemedti – said he was ready to engage in talks.
Sudan’s civil war erupted in April when members of the RSF were deployed around the country, posing a threat to the army, led by Gen Burhan.
It is unclear who fired the first gun, but the conflict quickly spread across the country. According to the NGO Acled, the conflict has killed at least 7,500 people and displaced millions.
Gen Burhan, Sudan’s de facto leader since a coup in 2021, has been traveling around the world in search of foreign backing.
In his address to the UN, he also alluded to the RSF’s ties to Wagner, a Russian mercenary outfit active in Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, and Mali.
Gen Burhan further said the RSF was a terrorist organization since it “supported killing, burning, raping, forced displacement, looting, stealing, torture, trafficking in arms and drugs, bringing mercenaries, or recruiting children.”
He stated that these offenses demanded accountability and retribution.
However, Gen Burhan has been chastised for his military conduct during the conflict.
Volker Perthes, the UN envoy to Sudan at the time of his departure in mid-September, was harshly critical of both generals, accusing them of choosing to plunge the country into war.
Mr Perthes denounced the RSF for sexual abuse, looting, and murders in areas under their authority. He also chastised Sudan’s military forces for their indiscriminate aerial bombings.
The RSF fighters are embedded in densely populated urban centers, which appear to be legitimate targets for the Sudanese military.
The US has already slapped sanctions on RSF commanders, notably Gen Dagalo, but the West has also been harshly critical of Gen Burhan for his participation in deposing Sudan’s ruling party in a coup in 2021.
