Burhan says ‘traitors’ failed to hijack Sudan, rejects imposed solutions
May 8, 2026 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman and Army Commander-in-Chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said on Friday that “mercenaries and traitors” were seeking to hijack the Sudanese state.
He stated that their ambitions had been shattered by the will of the Sudanese people, emphasizing his refusal to accept any solutions that do not satisfy the populace.
Burhan’s remarks come amid ongoing battles between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and stalled efforts to reach a ceasefire. The army maintains its military operations until the RSF is eliminated, despite repeated international calls for a return to negotiations.
The Sudanese government has consistently conditioned any permanent settlement on a peace plan that requires the RSF to fully disarm and vacate civilian areas. Under this proposal, paramilitary fighters would be required to move into designated cantonment sites, military assembly points, as a prerequisite for a lasting ceasefire.
During a visit to the Al-Droushab suburb in northern Khartoum Bahri on Friday, Burhan described the armed forces as “Sudan’s safety valve.” He praised the wide public support for the army during the ongoing conflict.
According to a statement from the Sovereign Council media office, Burhan asserted that all Sudanese were “actively involved in the Battle of Dignity” against the “rebel mobs.”
He added that no loyal or patriotic person had stayed behind from this national struggle.
The Commander-in-Chief pledged to press ahead with the “Battle of Dignity” to eliminate “mercenaries,” stating that there would be “no negotiation or peace with them.”
The Army Chief’s defiant stance follows a video address released on Wednesday by RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known as Hemetti, during a meeting with his officers at an undisclosed location. Hemetti blamed the military leadership for the continued conflict and the failure of peace efforts.
He claimed his forces had consistently sought to end the violence, but questioned whether a ceasefire was possible from one side only. He also suggested that the army leadership misinterpreted his willingness to negotiate as a sign of exhaustion.
In a significant claim, the RSF leader stated that his forces had tripled in size since the war began in April 2023, growing from 143,000 to 450,000 fighters. He vowed that the RSF was prepared to fight for decades—even up to 40 years—if a genuine peace was not achieved.
Hemetti further accused the army of being a front for the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS, promising to establish a “national army” free from political or ideological control in areas under his influence.
In response, Burhan concluded his visit by stating that the capital, Khartoum, remained “safe and secure,” maintaining that peace would eventually prevail throughout the country only once the rebellion was ended.