Sudan army chief rejects truce proposal citing UAE role

Due to the involvement of the United Arab Emirates, the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces has rejected a ceasefire proposal that was presented by the United States and other mediators.

The “Quad” – the moderator group that includes the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, has “the worst proposal” so far, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan told senior military commanders and security officials in a speech that was made public late on Sunday in his office.

The criticism suggests that the government-aligned army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have waged a bitter civil war that has caused at least 14 million to lose lives and caused a humanitarian crisis.

The commander criticized the proposal as “unacceptable,” claiming that it “effectively eliminates the existence of the armed forces and… the dissolution of all security agencies” while “maintaining the rebellious militia in its positions.”

He claimed that Sudan wanted a ceasefire and that the RSF had to retreat and be confined to specific locations.

Is the role of the UAE questioned?

Al-Burhan reiterated that Sudan believes the UAE’s role in the Quad is untrue.

He claimed that “the entire world has witnessed the support for rebels against the Sudanese state.”

We will consider the mediation to be biased if it goes on in this direction.

The UAE is frequently accused of arming and funding the RSF, aiding in regional interests advancement, and gaining access to Sudan’s gold and other minerals.

The charges are rejected by the UAE, who describes them as a “cynical publicity stunt.”

No one can threaten us or dictate terms, according to al-Burhan, who said, “We’re not warmongers, and we don’t reject peace.”

Al-Burhan also criticized the US for mentioning Massad Boulos, a Lebanese-born businessman who is serving as President Donald Trump’s senior advisor in regional affairs, in the proposal.

According to him, Boulos could become a barrier to peace as a result of the US ambassador’s claims that the army is using chemical weapons and preventing humanitarian aid.

The army chief, however, praised Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who both called for serious steps to end Sudan’s conflict while speaking to reporters in Washington last week.

“Catastrophic humanitarian consequences”

The RSF announced this month that the Quad proposal addresses the “catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the war.”

A three-month truce, according to the plan, could pave the way for a lasting political solution. In a nation where the ruling military commanders seized power after numerous coups, it would also establish a new civilian government.

However, the RSF continues to wreak havoc in Darfur, which was under the control of Sudan’s western region after last month’s army was forced to leave the city of El-Fasher.

RSF fighters have since been spotted burning and burying bodies in large numbers in an effort to conceal the existence of numerous mass killings, according to satellite images from the city.

Despite international organizations and witnesses reporting widespread rape, thousands of people still go missing after fleeing the area.

Part of the central Sudanese Kordofan region is still up for battles between the army and the RSF.

The army’s 22nd Division will soon be able to retake control of the strategic city of Babnusa in West Kordofan, according to the RSF on Saturday.

In Khartoum and other parts of Sudan in April 2023, a power struggle between the military and the RSF sparked open fighting in the capital.

More than 40, 000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to UN statistics, but aid organizations claim that this is an undercount and that the actual number could be much higher.