Sudan’s Ongoing Conflict: No Negotiations with Rapid Support Forces

A high-ranking member of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC) has firmly stated that negotiations with the paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are off the table, as the violence in the country continues to wreak havoc. Malik Agar Ayyir, deputy chairman of the TSC, emphasized in a recent announcement that there will be no truce or discussions with what he refers to as an “occupier.” He stressed that the path to a just peace can only be pursued through a plan guided by the aspirations of the Sudanese people and their government.

Speaking at a meeting in Port Sudan, where the government is currently operating, Agar dismissed claims that the ongoing war is aimed at fostering democracy. Rather, he characterized the conflict as a struggle over resources and a manipulation of Sudan’s demographics, presenting it as an opportunity to reinforce national unity.

This statement comes shortly after Prime Minister Kamil Idris unveiled a strategy to conclude the protracted conflict before the United Nations Security Council. In line with the Sudanese military’s stance, the plan calls for RSF fighters to withdraw from territories they have captured and be relocated to camps for disarmament. Only those not involved in war crimes would be considered for reintegration into society.

However, the RSF has consistently rejected the notion of ceding territory. Al-Basha Tibiq, a senior advisor to RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, remarked that the proposal appears “more like fantasy than reality.”

RSF Claims Territorial Gains Amidst Humanitarian Crisis

The ongoing conflict has displaced around 14 million people and shows little indication of resolution. Reports indicate that the RSF is reinforcing its grip on territories it has conquered, while continuing to launch aggressive attacks.

International aid organizations on the ground report harrowing accounts of mass killings, systematic sexual violence, and the burial and incineration of bodies in Darfur, actions taken to obscure the evidence of war crimes that have occurred over the past months. The humanitarian situation has deteriorated significantly, particularly following the RSF’s capture of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, in October.

Recently, the RSF announced that it had gained control over the Abu Qumra region in North Darfur, claiming success in further advancing to the Um Buru area. They assert that these locations have been “completely liberated.” Despite mounting evidence of widespread atrocities, the RSF insists that its primary mission is to “protect civilians and eliminate remnants of armed factions and mercenary groups.”

The group even released videos purporting to show its fighters making progress toward el-Obeid, a strategic city in North Kordofan state.