Sudanese Military Refuses US Request to Resume Peace Negotiations

Sudan’s army has rejected a call to return to peace talks with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after a conversation between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The conflict between the army and RSF, which began in April 2024 over a transition to free elections, has resulted in thousands of deaths and forced more than 9 million people to flee their homes.

“We will not go to Jeddah (venue for talks in Saudi Arabia) and whoever wants us to should kill us in our country and take our bodies there,” said Malik Agar, a former rebel leader and Burhan’s number two on the country’s Transitional Sovereign Council.

Intense fighting continued in northern areas of the capital Khartoum on Wednesday, with residents reporting heavy aerial bombing and artillery fire. The State Department had previously emphasized the need to end the war and resume talks sponsored by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, which have been stalled for months.

Meanwhile, the RSF has surrounded al-Fashir, the North Darfur capital, and raided civilian neighborhoods, while the army has carried out costly air strikes in the area. The conflict has resulted in at least 145 deaths and displaced over 3,600 families, with reports of destroyed homes and limited access to essential services.

Efforts to defuse hostilities and resume peace talks continue amidst the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Sudan.