KHARTOUM – Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has written to US President Donald Trump saying his government is ready to work with all parties to end the war, while insisting that any settlement must protect Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“I wrote to President Donald Trump reaffirming Sudan’s commitment to U.S. peace efforts,” Burhan said in a post on X on Thursday. “The Government of Sudan is ready to work in good faith with all parties for a just, lasting peace that safeguards our sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, & our people’s dignity.”
Burhan did not say whether his government had accepted a US proposal for a humanitarian truce, which Washington has been pressing the warring sides to adopt as a first step towards political talks.
The United States wants the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to accept a truce without preconditions, followed by inclusive political dialogue leading to a transition to civilian government.
The RSF said in January that it had accepted a humanitarian truce proposed by the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. However, the two sides remain divided over military arrangements, including demands for the RSF to withdraw from territory it controls.
In a September 22 statement, US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said neither the army nor the RSF had made serious commitments to an immediate truce, despite repeated US appeals.
“We seek to restore peace and give power back to the Sudanese people,” Pigott said, adding that Washington was ready to support a peace plan with committed partners.
The war, which began in April 2023, has killed thousands of people, displaced millions and left parts of Sudan facing severe hunger. Fighting and restrictions on humanitarian access have also hampered efforts to deliver aid to civilians.
Burhan’s message signals his government’s stated willingness to engage in peace efforts, but leaves open whether the army will accept the proposed truce and what terms it would support to end the conflict.