Sudan's Military Leader Vows to Retake Every Inch of RSF-Held Territory as Fighting Expands

Sudan's top military commander, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has ruled out any negotiated settlement with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, declaring that his army will fight until it controls every part of the country currently held by the rival group. The remarks, delivered during a public address on Tuesday in Village 5 in the northern locality of Merowe, were carried by the state-run Sudan News Agency. Al-Burhan told the audience that the "military option" would remain in force until the RSF was driven out of Sudan entirely, framing the conflict as one that could only be resolved on the battlefield rather than at the negotiating table.

The pledge represents a firm rejection of the diplomatic efforts that have repeatedly stalled over the course of the war, now in its third and a half year. Multiple mediation initiatives led by regional bodies and international partners have failed to produce a durable ceasefire, and the general's latest comments suggest that Khartoum's military establishment sees no room for compromise with the paramilitary force it once helped create.

The conflict erupted in April 2023 following a bitter split between the leaders of the Sudanese army and the RSF over plans to fold the paramilitary group into the regular armed forces. What began as a power struggle between two generals quickly spiraled into a nationwide war that has drawn in allied militias, regional actors, and foreign backers on both sides. According to United Nations and international estimates, tens of thousands of people have been killed, while roughly 13 million have been forced from their homes, creating what aid agencies describe as one of the world's largest displacement crises.

Al-Burhan's defiant stance came on the same day that violence continued to claim civilian lives in several parts of the country. In West Kordofan state, a local charity organization reported that at least 10 civilians were killed and several others wounded in an attack attributed to the RSF. The Dar Hamar Emergency Committee said in a statement that the paramilitary force committed multiple violations against residents of Abu Ajal village, located in the southeastern countryside of En Nahud.

The killings in West Kordofan fit a broader pattern of fighting that has shifted westward as the army presses forward. RSF units have been concentrating their forces in that state as government troops advance toward the cities of En Nahud and Al Khuway, following a series of territorial gains in neighboring North Kordofan. The region has become a key corridor linking Sudan's eastern and western theaters, and control over it could shape the trajectory of the war in the months ahead.

The humanitarian toll extends well beyond Kordofan. In Blue Nile state, more than 5,500 people fled their villages over a three-day period as security conditions deteriorated, the International Organization for Migration said on Tuesday. The sudden displacement adds to the already overwhelming numbers of Sudanese who have been uprooted since the fighting began, many of whom now depend on struggling camps and host communities for shelter, food, and medical care.

While Sudan's military leadership pushes for a decisive victory, international actors continue to press for a negotiated path out of the crisis. Massad Boulos, a senior adviser to United States President Donald Trump for Arab and African affairs, said in a post on X on Monday that the parties to the conflict must take the lead in talks to end the war. He argued that peace could be reached through an inclusive, Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led national dialogue that would guide a transition toward a civilian-led government.

That position echoes a statement issued by the US State Department last month, which said neither the Sudanese Armed Forces, nor the RSF, nor their respective leaders represent legitimate, constitutional governance for Sudan. The assessment underscores the deep international skepticism about the legitimacy of both warring factions and the difficulty of building a political process around figures who have presided over years of bloodshed.

Analysts note that al-Burhan's refusal to negotiate may complicate efforts to bring the RSF to the table as well, since neither side has shown a willingness to make concessions while it believes it can make gains on the ground. The army has recently claimed momentum in Kordofan, but the RSF remains entrenched across large swaths of the country, including parts of the capital region and western Sudan, and has demonstrated a capacity to launch drone strikes and counterattacks even as it loses territory elsewhere.

For civilians caught between the two forces, the continued fighting means little prospect of relief. Aid groups have warned that humanitarian operations are severely underfunded and frequently obstructed by insecurity, leaving millions without reliable access to food, clean water, or healthcare. Famine conditions have been confirmed in some areas, and the spread of fighting into new states threatens to push more communities into crisis.

The wider regional dimension adds further complexity. Sudan's war has attracted involvement from neighboring states and external powers who view the conflict through the lens of their own security and economic interests. That dynamic has made diplomatic resolution more difficult, as outside patrons continue to supply weapons and resources to their preferred factions while publicly calling for an end to hostilities.

With al-Burhan now explicitly committing to a military solution, the coming months are likely to see intensified combat, particularly in Kordofan and other contested zones. Whether the army can translate its recent gains into lasting control remains uncertain, and the human cost of that campaign will continue to be borne by civilians who have already endured years of displacement and violence.

The general's speech in Merowe, a town in Sudan's northern heartland far from the front lines, appeared designed to project confidence and rally support among audiences in areas under firm army control. But it also signaled to mediators and foreign governments that the door to talks remains closed for now, leaving Sudan's diplomatic track frozen while the fighting widens across multiple states.