Sudan civil alliance cautious over Burhan’s internal dialogue push
August 11, 2026 (NAIROBI) – Senior leaders in Sudan’s Civil Democratic Alliance, known as Somoud, have expressed reservations about government plans to set up preparatory committees for an internal Sudanese dialogue, sources said.
The hesitation follows reports that Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, informed political figures in late July that he had contacted Somoud leaders to join the initiative.
A party official who attended the meeting with Burhan told Sudan Tribune that the military leader promised measures to create a favourable environment for talks, including suspending restrictions that prevent alliance leaders from participating inside the country. Burhan reportedly noted that the proposed dialogue would exclude only the National Congress Party and the Rapid Support Forces-led Tasees Alliance.
Burhan has held unannounced consultations for several weeks with political blocs, civil groups, Sufi leaders, and prominent figures to build consensus around holding the conference within Sudan.
Preparations centre on establishing a committee responsible for organizing and planning the event.
However, senior Somoud sources told Sudan Tribune that the alliance remains cool to the initiative led by army-aligned factions.
The sources said Burhan and the Sovereign Council are leading the country through a coup executed in October 2021, and argued that the ruling military leadership is using the dialogue to seek political legitimacy from civil forces.
Somoud leaders are currently prioritizing preparations for the founding conference of the Nairobi Declaration group, aimed at organizing civil and political factions opposed to the war.
The conference is expected to take place in late October to solidify a unified civil front and outline a resolution to the Sudanese crisis.
Alliance leaders view the upcoming meeting as a transition from a basic coordination framework to a broader civil bloc capable of uniting anti-war factions.
The group aims to present a platform focused on comprehensive peace, a transitional constitution, and a unified national security system under civilian authority.
Somoud sources reiterated their firm opposition to including the National Congress Party and the Islamic Movement, holding them responsible for sparking the conflict and rejecting any role for them in future governance.
The alliance also rejected fragmented international talks, calling instead for a single negotiating platform with clear humanitarian and political conditions, starting with a ceasefire and aid delivery.
While the Quintet Mechanism on Sudan continues efforts to bring civil groups together, major blocs, including Somoud, maintain reservations and recently boycotted a preparatory meeting hosted by the group in Addis Ababa.