No negotiations as long as the war continues in Sudan: Burhan
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On the first anniversary of the outbreak of the widespread conflict in Sudan, the head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council in Sudan reaffirmed that he would refrain from negotiating with the Rapid Support Forces as long as the war persists.
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Head of Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, undated. (AFP)
The head of Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, affirmed that he would refrain from negotiating with the Rapid Support Forces as long as the conflict continues. He emphasized his dedication to the "Jeddah Platform" and stressed the importance of the Rapid Support Forces fulfilling their commitments.
Al-Burhan addressed army officers and soldiers in the Omdurman military region, west of Khartoum, stating that the armed forces are open to negotiation, arguing that the process and conditions must be clarified. He stressed that "we will not engage in negotiations as long as the war continues" and citizens' homes remain occupied.
He added, "If the rebels wish to negotiate, they must first remove their forces outside these occupied cities and gather in specific areas," adding, "We are committed to the Jeddah platform, but the other party must implement the obligations it has, according to what was signed in Jeddah."
Read next: Sudanese Army recaptures towns neighboring Babanusa from RSF
'Time running out'
"Time is running out," World Health Organization spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said in a statement on Friday, warning that the humanitarian tragedy in Sudan will only worsen in the coming months.
"Without a stop to the fighting and unhindered access for the delivery of humanitarian aid, Sudan's crisis will dramatically worsen in the months to come and could impact the whole region," According to Lindmeier
With the dramatic increase in the number of refugees and the unaddressed issue of disease spread, coupled with the well-known food insecurity in the country, neighboring nations could also suffer alongside Sudan.
Al-Burhan had earlier said that those conspiring against the people will have no role in running the country in the future, stressing that “this battle will end with the victory of the armed forces and the Sudanese people.”
Earlier this month, the US, French, Norwegian, British, and African Union's envoys to Sudan discussed measures to prevent the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the war-torn country. "We welcomed in a related context the proposed resumption of talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia."
The United States expects negotiations between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to resume on April 18th in Jeddah. However, diplomatic sources at the Sudanese Foreign Ministry have denied receiving confirmation of the round being held on the proposed date.
