Al-Burhan launches national dialogue to complete Sudan's governance institutions
Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan affirmed his openness to any genuine peace initiative that does not lead to the return of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), to power, amid the ongoing civil war between the army and rebel forces since April 2023, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of approximately 13 million people.
Burhan stated today, in a speech marking the 72nd anniversary of the army’s founding, that he had initiated a dialogue with national forces to form the legislative council, describing it as a “constitutional right.”
He added that an independent national group had proposed a comprehensive Sudanese dialogue initiative, noting that he had agreed to provide the necessary legal, political, and security guarantees for the dialogue to take place, while emphasizing his independence and the state’s non-interference in its agenda or outcomes.
He clarified that dialogue participants would receive temporary procedural immunity regarding lawsuits filed by the state, alongside full legal immunity for opinions and positions expressed during dialogue sessions, thereby ensuring freedom of discussion.
On the military front, Burhan said the army was continuing to cleanse the country of RSF forces, but stressed that this “does not mean turning a blind eye to any genuine peace initiative.” He affirmed that any settlement must begin with the RSF relinquishing its weapons and concentrating its forces in designated areas, the return of civilians to their homes, and called on all Sudanese who had fled the country due to the conflict to return.
On the ground, more than 14 civilians were killed and dozens injured in an RSF attack targeting the Um Arda area near the city of El Obeid in North Kordofan state, which also triggered a wave of civilian displacement.
While a Sudanese military source stated that the army and joint forces managed to repel the attack on Um Arda and inflicted “heavy losses” on the rebels, Hemedti’s forces claimed control of Um Arda and announced the army’s withdrawal from the area.
