Sudan’s top military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, issued a stark warning at the United Nations on Thursday, expressing deep concerns that the ongoing conflict in Sudan could escalate and potentially spill over into neighbouring regions. As he addressed the international community, General al-Burhan emphasised the urgent need for global intervention to address the paramilitary unit, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which he has been battling.
General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has served as the de facto ruler of Sudan since a coup in 2021. In his speech, he alluded to the RSF’s connections with the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary organisation that has faced sanctions from Western nations due to alleged human rights abuses in Africa.
“The danger of this war is now a threat to regional and international peace and security as those rebels have sought the support of outlaws and terrorist groups from different countries in the region and the world,” General al-Burhan warned. “This is like the spark of war, a war that will spill over to other countries in the region.”
He further asserted, “Regional and international interference to support these groups is crystal clear by now. This means that this is the first spark that will burn the region, and will have a direct impact on regional and international peace and security.”
The conflict in Sudan erupted on April 15, following the collapse of a plan to integrate the Sudanese army and the RSF, which is led by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, formerly Burhan’s deputy.
Tragically, the ongoing violence in Sudan has resulted in the loss of at least 7,500 lives, as reported by the NGO Acled, while approximately five million people have been displaced. These developments have dealt a devastating blow to efforts aimed at ushering democracy into Sudan.
In recent times, General al-Burhan has undertaken international travels, seen as attempt to bolster his legitimacy on the global stage. During his address at the United Nations, General al-Burhan called upon major world powers to designate the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist group. He cited the extensive list of crimes attributed to the RSF, including killings, burnings, rapes, forced displacements, looting, theft, torture, arms and drug trafficking, and the recruitment of child soldiers. These grave offences, according to General al-Burhan, warrant accountability and punishment.
The United States had previously imposed sanctions on RSF leaders, including senior commander Abdelrahim Hamdan Daglo, who is the brother of the RSF leader. These sanctions were applied in response to alleged abuses, including the killing of the governor of West Darfur.
However, it is worth noting that the United States and other Western powers have not spared General al-Burhan from strong criticism. In 2021, he, alongside RSF leader Daglo, sidelined the civilian leadership that had been part of a transitional power-sharing agreement following mass protests that led to the ousting of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir.
“We are still committed to our previous pledges to transfer power to the people of Sudan with great national consensus and consent,” General al-Burhan affirmed. “The armed forces would leave politics for once and for all.”
The General’s plea to the United Nations reflects the growing urgency and concern over the conflict in Sudan and its potential repercussions on regional stability. International actors now face the challenge of addressing this complex crisis to prevent further escalation and instability in the region.