Sudan Army Chief rejects latest U.S.-backed peace proposal

Sudan’s army chief, Abdul Fattah Al-Burhan, has rejected the latest proposal from the U.S.-led Quartet mediation team, accusing Washington of putting forward a plan that favors the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and ignores the military’s previous feedback.

“Last week the American mediators presented us with a new proposal, and they didn’t take into account our comments on the previous proposals,” Al-Burhan said. “The new proposal was the worst proposal presented to us. It called for the complete dissolution of the military while maintaining the militias (rapid support forces).”

He said the development raised doubts about the neutrality of the mediation process. “If this was the American proposal, then we believe that this mediation was not neutral. The American envoy speaks to us as if he is trying to impose dictates on us. We told him: your paper is unacceptable. We rejected it completely.”

Al-Burhan also reiterated Sudan’s objection to the United Arab Emirates’ participation in the Quartet, accusing Abu Dhabi of siding with the RSF. “We informed members of the Quartet that if the UAE is part of it, we will not accept it. The world knows they are involved in the Sudan war, supporting the rebels,” he said.

In response, the United Arab Emirates issued a statement on Monday accusing Al-Burhan of repeatedly obstructing efforts to end Sudan’s civil war, including rejecting a U.S.-backed peace proposal and refusing to agree to a ceasefire. The UAE said Al-Burhan’s position reflects “consistently obstructive behavior.”

Despite the UAE’s repeated denials of involvement, mounting evidence has emerged indicating its support for the RSF, particularly through weapons supplies.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), leader of the RSF, announced a three-month humanitarian ceasefire. Dagalo, who also heads the Tasis Alliance, said the ceasefire aims to protect civilians and expand humanitarian access. He pledged to facilitate relief operations and ensure the safety of aid workers.

He also endorsed a monitoring and accountability mechanism to be overseen by the Quad, the African Union, and IGAD, stressing that violations against civilians “would be investigated and prosecuted under both national and international law.”

The Quartet — made up of the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE — has been trying to negotiate a political process to end the war that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF. Since the conflict began, tens of thousands of people have been killed, more than 10 million displaced, and Sudan has become one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

International efforts to halt the fighting have repeatedly failed, and pressure tactics such as sanctions have so far failed to deter either side. The latest refusal by Sudan’s army chief comes as Washington signals a shift in its approach. President Trump recently described Sudan as “the most violent place on Earth and, likewise, the single biggest humanitarian crisis,” and affirmed his administration’s readiness to work with regional partners to help end the conflict.