Al-Burhan Rules Out Truce with RSF in Sudan, Praises Saudi Arabia’s Peace Efforts

The Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, has rejected any truce to end the war while the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) remains in Sudan.

Meanwhile, Al-Burhan praised Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the US for their efforts to bring the war in Sudan to an end. He also welcomed Türkiye as a potential mediator in the conflict.

No Truce with RSF

During a recent visit to Türkiye, Al-Burhan reaffirmed his rejection of any truce or ceasefire while the RSF militias remain in Sudan, reported Al-Arabiya.

Speaking during a meeting with Sudanese community leaders, Turkish officials, civil society representatives and media at the Sudanese Embassy in Ankara, the SAF leader said that Sudan “will not accept any ceasefire or truce as long as the rebel militia remains in control of even a single inch of Sudanese territory.”

Moreover, he emphasized that Sudan is not a warmonger country and does not support the continuation of fighting, but it has clear conditions for peace, foremost the disarmament of the RSF.

“When the fighting is over and weapons are laid down, we can move to the next phase,” Al-Burhan said. “But combining a military solution with a political one while (military) operations continue, I don’t believe peace will be achieved,” the SAF leader added.

Al-Burhan’s remarks echo earlier statements when he vowed to continue fighting until the RSF is “completely eradicated and every inch of the homeland is purified.” He also reiterated his readiness to engage in peace talks, on the condition that the “RSF militia and its mercenaries be dismantled” and excluded from any future role.

SAF’s Peace Initiative

During his speech in Ankara on Saturday, Al-Burhan highlighted the peace initiative presented by the Prime Minister, Kamil Idris, to the UN Security Council (UNSC) as the one endorsed by Sudan’s government to end the conflict.

He added that the country’s security and defense councils will meet to determine the necessary mechanisms to adopt the initiative across the country and promote it as the “single initiative” that meets the aspirations of the Sudanese people.

Last week, Idris presented a comprehensive “homemade” peace initiative to the UNSC. The initiative calls for a comprehensive ceasefire monitored by the UN, the African Union (AU) and the Arab League (AL). It requires the withdrawal of the RSF from the areas they control, in line with the terms of the Jeddah Declaration, and the disarmament of the paramilitary group under international supervision and with guarantees against arms recycling.

It also calls for securing the return of the internally displaced persons and refugees, as well as increasing the flow of humanitarian aid to all regions. Moreover, the Sudanese government will take confidence-building measures to ensure responsiveness to the initiative and hold a Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue during the transitional period, encompassing all political forces, which will be followed by general elections.

Praising Saudi Efforts

Al-Burhan praised peace efforts by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, stressing Sudan’s trust in their intentions as well as the recent push by the US to resolve the crisis, reported the Sudan Tribune.

“We reiterate to the US administration and President Trump that if you want to be a man of peace this year, you must look at the Sudanese issue from the Sudanese people’s perspective,” Al-Burhan said.

Following a meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, in November 2025, US President Donald Trump said he would personally intervene to stop the conflict in Sudan at the request of the Crown Prince.

UAE Intervention

Meanwhile, Al-Burhan said that the Sudanese government no longer recognizes the Quad mechanism – a group involving Saudi Arabia, the US, Egypt and the UAE aimed at supporting peace efforts in Sudan – and has asked Washington, Riyadh and Cairo to engage in dialogue with Abu Dhabi over evidence of its involvement in the war.

The SAF leader revealed the details of a phone call with the UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, more than a year ago, saying that he spoke with the Emirati leader about Abu Dhabi’s actions in Sudan. Al-Burhan said that Bin Zayed did not object to what he said, telling him that “things would improve.”

Moreover, Al-Burhan said that a Sudanese delegation met with an Emirati team in the US, with the presence of Quad representatives. The Sudanese delegation confronted the Emiratis with Abu Dhabi’s involvement in the conflict. The Emirati team listened “without comprehending or responding to the accusations; instead, the UAE increased escalation on the ground. Therefore, they will not be part of the solution,” Al-Burhan noted.

In September, the Quad proposed a roadmap for peace in Sudan, involving a three-month humanitarian truce, followed by a permanent ceasefire and a transition to civilian-led governance.

However, Al-Burhan rejected the proposal at the time, slamming it as the “worst yet” for keeping the RSF in their positions. He also criticized the presence of the UAE in the Quad group.

Türkiye’s Mediation

The SAF leader hailed strong ties with Türkiye, acknowledging Ankara’s contributions to regional peace initiatives. In the light of this, Al-Burhan said that he had asked the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to be part of the Quad to resolve the ongoing crisis.

In response, the Turkish President welcomed Al-Burhan’s request, saying that Türkiye will help in achieving a solution that meets the aspirations of the Sudanese people.

The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023 between the SAF and the RSF, killing thousands and displacing around 12 million people amid spreading famine and cholera outbreaks.

It has also driven the country into effective partition, with the SAF controlling the center, north and east, while the RSF holds the entire Darfur region and parts of Kordofan in the south, with each side declaring a government.