Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the de facto leader of Sudan, praised U.S. President Joe Biden’s statement on Wednesday regarding the ongoing conflict in Sudan and pledged to work towards ending the bloodshed. He also accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing numerous atrocities.
In direct response to President Biden’s remarks on Tuesday, General al-Burhan, the head of the Transitional Sovereign Council, stated, “The Sudanese government remains resolute and fully committed to ending the suffering of our citizens.”
Al-Burhan expressed his gratitude for U.S. support for humanitarian efforts and said he shared Biden’s “deep concern” about the human cost of the fighting.
He agreed with Biden’s comments about RSF attacks in El Fasher, Darfur, noting that these are just a fraction of the militia’s crimes across Sudan.
Al-Burhan contrasted the RSF’s “clear contempt for human life” with the Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) “unwavering commitment to the principles of international humanitarian law.”
He emphasized his readiness to collaborate with international partners to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis and called on the international community to hold those supporting the RSF accountable.
Regarding crimes against civilians, President Biden made a clear distinction between the RSF and the Sudanese Army (SAF) in his statement.
“We have previously determined that members of the RSF have committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, while members of the SAF have also committed war crimes,” Biden said.
President Biden promised to continue investigating allegations of new crimes and to consider additional sanctions.
As the Sudanese government has routinely rejected statements by U.S. politicians criticizing both warring parties without specifically addressing the RSF’s atrocities against civilians, al-Burhan’s remarks reflect his appreciation of Biden’s stance on the RSF.
The Sudanese leader noted that he had participated in several side events, including discussions with U.S. officials, while attending the UN General Assembly in New York.
The U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced on Tuesday that several Sudan-related events would take place during the UN General Assembly.
“We expect several Sudan-related events aimed at bringing the involved parties together for dialogue,” she said, adding that General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan will represent the Sudanese government.
Thomas-Greenfield expressed hope that these events would contribute to the peace process and raise public awareness of the situation in Sudan.