Sudan’s Burhan welcomes U.S. Biden concern, vows to end conflict

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September 18, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudan’s de facto leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, on Wednesday welcomed U.S. President Joe Biden’s expression of concern over the country’s conflict and vowed to end the violence while also accusing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of widespread atrocities.

“The Sudanese government remains resolute and fully committed to ending the suffering of our citizens,” General al-Burhan, chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council, said in a direct response to a statement by President Biden on Tuesday.

Al-Burhan said he shared Biden’s “profound concern” over the conflict’s human cost and appreciated U.S. support for humanitarian efforts.

He acknowledged Biden’s remarks on RSF attacks in the Darfur city of El Fasher, stating they represent only a fraction of the militia’s atrocities across Sudan.

“The Sudanese Armed Forces remain steadfast in their commitment to the principles of international humanitarian law,” al-Burhan said, contrasting this with the RSF’s “utter disregard for human life”.

He urged the international community to hold accountable states supporting the RSF and expressed his willingness to work with global partners to resolve the conflict peacefully.

President Biden, in a statement on Sudan, made a clear distinction between the Sudanese Army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) regarding crimes committed against civilians.

He declared, “We have previously determined that members of both the SAF and the RSF have committed war crimes, and further, that members of the RSF have committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.”

President Biden pledged to continue assessing allegations of further atrocities and the possibility of additional sanctions.

The al-Burhan statement indicates his appreciation for Biden’s position on the RSF, as the Sudanese government has consistently rejected statements by U.S. officials denouncing the warring parties in Sudan without mentioning the atrocities against civilians by the paramilitary elements.

In his statement, the Sudanese leader confirmed his participation in a series of events on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, including meetings with U.S. officials.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced on Tuesday that several events related to the Sudan crisis are scheduled during the United Nations General Assembly.

She stated, “We anticipate a number of events focused on Sudan, with the aim of bringing the involved parties together for dialogue.” She also noted that General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan will “represent the Sudanese government”.

Thomas-Greenfield expressed hope that these events will not only raise awareness of the situation in Sudan but also help pave the way towards peace.