Sudan’s brutal civil war took another dark turn Sunday after the country’s top military leader, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, forcefully rejected a U.S.-backed humanitarian ceasefire proposal—calling it the “worst plan yet” and accusing international mediators of siding with his enemies. With tens of thousands already dead and millions displaced, the conflict shows no signs of slowing.
A Blunt Rejection From Sudan’s Most Powerful Man
In a fiery video address released by the Sudanese army, Burhan blasted the ceasefire proposal crafted by the Quad nations— the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—claiming it undermines Sudan’s regular armed forces while protecting the rival paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Burhan insisted the plan “removes the armed forces, dissolves the security institutions, and leaves the militia in place,” arguing it effectively rewards RSF, the very faction responsible for atrocities across Sudan.
“If mediation continues in this direction, we will consider it biased,” he warned.
RSF Accepted the Deal — But Burhan Isn’t Moving
The RSF, which seized the last major army stronghold in Darfur earlier this month, accepted the humanitarian ceasefire on November 6. But Burhan says no negotiations can begin until RSF fully withdraws from civilian areas and displaced families can safely return home.
Only then, he said, can political talks move forward.
War That “Never Should Have Happened”
Sudan’s civil war erupted in April 2023 after a bitter power struggle between Burhan’s army and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. The United Nations says the conflict has triggered the largest displacement and hunger crisis on the planet.
Entire cities have been reduced to rubble. Human rights organizations report mass killings, sexual violence, and ethnic cleansing—especially in Darfur.
International Pressure Mounts
The U.S. has vowed to intensify efforts to broker peace. President Donald Trump pledged American support to end the war during recent talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House.
But Burhan’s outright rejection threatens to derail months of diplomatic work, raising fears that the conflict could escalate even further.
A Nation on the Brink
With famine looming, hospitals destroyed, and millions trapped between warring armies, Sudan stands on the edge of total collapse. And as long as the two most powerful men in the country refuse compromise, peace remains a distant dream.