Sudanese group call for civilian-led solution to the war ahead of U.S.-led talks

July 21, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – A prominent Sudanese political bloc has warned that plans to form a rival government risk plunging the country into a “Libya-style” conflict, and urged upcoming U.S.-led talks to prioritize a civilian-led solution to the war.

In a statement released late on Sunday, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–Revolutionary Democratic Current (SPLM-RDC) said the formation of a second administration alongside the Port Sudan-based government “will prolong the war.”

The statement was issued ahead of a “Quadrilateral Meeting” in Washington, where the United States is expected to host officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt to discuss the Sudan crisis. While calling the meeting a significant step, the SPLM-RDC noted the “absence of key players” including IGAD, the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Qatar.

The group outlined a two-phase approach for the talks, demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire as a first step. It insisted the second phase, a final political settlement, must ensure the “meaningful participation of democratic civilian forces” who should lead a reconstruction program that invests Sudanese resources in the country.

The statement also exposed deepening rifts within Sudan’s broad anti-war civilian front, confirming the SPLM-RDC was maintaining its suspension from the leadership of the “Sumood” coalition due to unresolved “structural and strategic challenges.”

The group also condemned recent arrests of democratic activists by “Port Sudan authorities” and demanded the immediate release of detainees, including lawyers Montasir Abdullah and Mohammed Ezzeldin.