Sudan’s Burhan signals flexibility on ending war, reaffirms territorial integrity

Sudan’s Sovereignty Council chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said Thursday his government is open to initiatives aimed at ending the country’s ongoing conflict, provided they safeguard national sovereignty, territorial unity and state institutions.

Speaking at a meeting with media figures and businessmen at the Sudanese embassy in Doha, al-Burhan stressed that Sudan is fighting “a fateful war for the honor and dignity of the people,” highlighting recent battlefield gains by the army and allied forces, according to a Council statement.

“The government is open to any efforts to stop the war, provided that the country’s sovereignty and unity are preserved and its national institutions safeguarded,” he said, adding that Sudan “will not pledge its sovereignty to any country, regardless of our relationship with it.”

The conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which erupted in April 2023, has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced about 15 million, according to the United Nations and local authorities. A U.S.-based academic study has put the death toll closer to 130,000.

Al-Burhan also expressed appreciation to Qatar for its support of the Sudanese people.

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