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Sudan Tribune

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Al-Burhan vows to hold Tagadum leaders accountable for alleged collusion with RSF

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Chairman of the Sovereign Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces speaks at the headquarters of the 18th Infantry Division , Kosti on June 6, 2024

June 6, 2024 (KOSTI) – Army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan vowed on Thursday to hold leaders of the Coordinating Committee of Civil Democratic Forces “Tagadum” accountable, accusing them of colluding with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and conspiring to kill Sudanese citizens.

Speaking before a gathering of soldiers at the army base in Kosti, White Nile State, al-Burhan stated, “Tagadum is colluding with the rebels and conspiring with them to kill the Sudanese people, refusing to cease the war unless the army negotiates with them.”

He emphasized that the army would not collaborate with the “rebels” and their accomplices, sending a stern message to the Tagadum Coordination Committee, the Forces of Freedom and Change, and politicians aspiring to rule Sudan.

Addressing these groups, he said, “You will not rule Sudan while we are here, and do not come to Sudan while we are here. No one who joins hands with the rebels will be welcomed by the Sudanese people.”

He added, “These individuals should find another place to go. We are astonished and dismayed by those who rejoice at the death of Sudanese citizens, their looting, and the rape of girls while speaking about the government’s illegitimacy.”

Hadi Idris, Tagadum Deputy Chairman, spoke to “Sudan Tribune” at the conclusion of the coalition’s founding conference held in late May, about initiating procedures to strip legitimacy from the government headed by al-Burhan.

Al-Burhan said he is aware of the positions of Tagadum leaders and could expose their corruption but respects the state and the people.

He pointed out that the army possesses videos of Youssif Ezzat, advisor to the RSF leader, preparing several statements at the beginning of the conflict, announcing the RSF’s takeover of power in Sudan.

He continued, “People talk about the army starting the attack on the RSF camp in the Sports City in Khartoum, but there is no camp there. This is deception by politicians and the Tagadum clique, but their time of reckoning will come.”

Fadlallah Burma Nasir, President of the National Umma Party and a leading figure in Tagadum, recently stated that the army began the attack on the RSF on April 15, 2023, the day the conflict erupted before it expanded to include most parts of Sudan.

War Persists

Al-Burhan declared that the army will not be swayed, will not retreat, will not surrender, and will never lay down its arms. He emphasized that the atrocities committed in the village of Wad Al-Noura are not isolated incidents, citing similar occurrences in El-Geneina (West Darfur), Nyala (South Darfur), and Khartoum, and vowed that these actions will not go unpunished.

He continued, “We will not tolerate those who perpetrated these acts, nor will we reconcile with them.”

On Wednesday, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a brutal attack with heavy artillery on Wad Al-Noura, a village in the Al-Jazirah State, resulting in the deaths of at least 150 civilians. This massacre was met with widespread condemnation, with the United Nations calling for a thorough investigation and accountability for the perpetrators.

Al-Burhan asserted that the fight will persist until the enemy is vanquished and the army, alongside the people, emerges victorious. He pledged to the residents of Wad Al-Noura that their rights would be restored manifold, emphasizing that this war was not against the army but rather a war against the citizens themselves.