Sudan’s leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has firmly ruled out any negotiations with paramilitary groups following his survival of a drone strike in the country’s eastern region on Wednesday.
The Sudanese army reported that five individuals were killed during a drone strike targeting a graduation ceremony at the Gibet military base, which Burhan was attending.
“We will not retreat, we will not surrender, and we will not negotiate,” declared Burhan, who was unscathed, as he addressed troops at the Gibet base following the attack.
“We are not scared of drones,” stated al-Burhan at the Gibet base, situated roughly 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Port Sudan. The army-aligned government relocated there after conflict erupted with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April last year.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
The United States has extended an invitation to both sides for negotiations next month in Geneva. However, Sudan’s foreign ministry indicated on Tuesday that these talks should be preceded by “more discussions.”
On Wednesday, Burhan dismissed the possibility of talks with the RSF.
He stated that any peace initiative “must recognize, invite and consult the Sudanese state,” referring to his government.
“We will not lay down our guns until we clean this country of every conspirator and every rebel,” he vowed.
The ongoing conflict, which Burhan asserts the army aims to win “with our head high,” has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, with estimates reaching up to 150,000, according to US envoy to Sudan, Tom Perriello.
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