Sudan Army Demands Full RSF Withdrawal as Condition for Peace

The U.S. proposal, presented last month, sought an immediate 90-day humanitarian ceasefire to facilitate negotiations and eventually lead to national elections. While the army-led government signaled openness to most of the framework, it explicitly rejected the suggestion of only partial, limited withdrawals. Instead, military leadership insisted on a comprehensive exit from urban centers, a stance that has repeatedly crippled previous diplomatic initiatives.

The plan also outlined a roadmap for a unified national army, including disarmament and reintegration, while barring groups involved in atrocities from the political process. Confusion regarding the army's position surfaced last week when Massad Boulos, a senior U.S. adviser, claimed General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had accepted the proposal—a sharp reversal from earlier reports to the UN Security Council that the government had rejected the terms.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation across the country remains dire. The RSF continues its campaign in North Kordofan and maintains control over large swaths of Darfur, where UN experts have alleged acts of genocide. While an RSF official claimed to have welcomed the U.S. proposal, the paramilitary group continues its drone-led military operations. The conflict, which erupted in April 2023 over integration disputes, has already displaced millions and left a massive death toll.