Sudan civilian bloc Somoud rejects army-backed internal dialogue initiative

August 10, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s civilian alliance, Somoud, rejected on Monday an army-backed initiative for an internal national dialogue, warning that holding talks within military-controlled territory risks formalizing the country’s territorial division.

The alliance, led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, denied receiving any formal contact regarding the dialogue initiative recently floated by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Sudanese political sources indicated that Burhan had begun consultations with various political and civil factions to launch an internal dialogue process, including proposals to drop legal charges against anti-war civilian leaders.

“Holding dialogue within army-controlled areas ignores the reality of Sudan’s de facto fragmentation among various armed factions,” Somoud said in a statement. “This path risks entrenching the division of the country, a outcome we refuse to legitimize.”

The coalition emphasized that any credible political process must prioritize an immediate ceasefire and address the humanitarian crisis rather than proceeding while fighting continues.

International mediation efforts led by a joint mechanism—including the United Nations, African Union, Arab League, European Union, and IGAD—have stalled over disagreements regarding dialogue venues and participating factions.

Sumoud boycotted recent consultations held by the international mechanism, accusing mediators of leaning toward the military’s preferred framework of holding talks inside Sudan.

The coalition reiterated its demand for an independent political process that excludes former ruling Islamist factions, while calling for accountability for war crimes and the handover of suspects to the International Criminal Court.