Sudanese army leader refuses prospect of reconciling with RSF
On August 14th, the de facto leader of Sudan and the Sudanese army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, ruled out the prospect of reconciling with the paramilitary group the Rapid Support Forces, according to the Middle East Monitor on August 15th.
Sudan broke out into a violent civil war in 2023 between the Sudanese military and the armed group the Rapid Support Forces, with the conflict creating what the United Nations has described as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”
14 million people have been displaced by the war, either living in displacement camps across Sudan or having fled to neighboring nations including Libya and Egypt. Rising levels of famine due to a severe food shortage has led to deaths inside displacement camps- in June of 2025 13 children in the Lagawa camp died as a result of famine.
The war has killed at least 20,000 people, however other research has shown differing figures, some as high as 130,000.
Al-Burhan made this announcement regarding the Rapid Support Forces while speaking at an event marking the centenary of the Sudanese Armed Forces, where he renewed his pledge to “continue the battle for dignity, defeat the rebellion, and refuse reconciliation, whatever the cost”.
This commitment to refusing reconciliation with the Rapid Support Forces follows a meeting in Switzerland on August 11th between al-Burhan and Massad Boulos, the United States senior advisor for Africa.
The two “discussed a proposal submitted by the United States for a comprehensive ceasefire in Sudan and the delivery of humanitarian aid.”
Previous mediation efforts to come to ceasefire agreements in Sudan led by the United States and Saudi Arabia have failed. On July 30th it was reported that a planned diplomatic meeting between Saudi Arabia, the United States, Egypt, and the UAE to plan ceasefire negotiation was cancelled due to a dispute between Egypt and the UAE over the roles the Sudanese army and the RSF would play in the peace process.
Middle East Monitor/Maghrebi
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