Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) posted on X Thursday, accusing General al-Burhan of stalling US-backed Geneva Peace Talks while his Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied jihadist militias continue their violent assaults on civilians.
Despite international and regional efforts to ease the humanitarian crisis, al-Burhan’s SAF carried out airstrikes on Khartoum’s central market, killing or wounding dozens of civilians, including women and children.
The high-stakes Geneva peace talks, which began on Wednesday, aim to end the brutal conflict between al-Burhan’s SAF and the RSF that has plagued Sudan since April 2023. The talks, expected to last up to ten days, are the latest diplomatic push to resolve the crisis.
However, SAF’s absence from the initial discussions has raised doubts about the potential for a comprehensive peace agreement. The RSF condemned SAF’s continued military assaults on populated areas, including the deadly attack on Khartoum’s market.
The Sudanese group has urged all human rights and humanitarian organizations to condemn the brutal bombing of Khartoum’s market and repeated attacks on civilian areas by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accused the military of using warplanes to target civilians, a tactic dating back to the 1990s during the civil war in the south and in the Darfur, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan regions, which led to thousands of deaths and mass displacement.
The RSF also expressed concern over the growing influence of the Islamist movement within the SAF and the military leadership’s desire to prolong the war to cover up the crimes of their corrupt regime.
While details of the ongoing Geneva peace talks remain secret, the international community is closely watching for a potential breakthrough that could alleviate the suffering in Sudan. However, the absence of SAF at the negotiations is a significant barrier to progress, and overcoming the deep-seated animosity between the factions will require intense diplomatic efforts.
The path to peace is expected to be long and fraught with challenges.