Military leader Al-Burhan of Sudan discusses the US peace plan with Trump's envoy for Africa
The ongoing civil war in Sudan, which began in April 2023, continues to cause significant unrest and humanitarian crisis in the country. The conflict, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 13 million people, fragmenting the nation.
Recent developments in the war have seen Gen. Al Burhan and his forces gaining control over the capital Khartoum, as well as the eastern, central, and northern regions of Sudan. In contrast, the RSF holds the entire western Darfur region and parts of Kordofan to the south.
In a significant move, Gen. Al Burhan met with Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump's senior adviser for Africa, in Switzerland this week. The meeting, discussed by Sudan's Defence and Security Council on August 9, was intended to discuss an American plan to end Sudan's civil war, focusing on a nationwide ceasefire and humanitarian aid for the 25 million people facing hunger.
However, the latest update on the American peace initiative reflects a major setback. The U.S.-led peace talks in Washington were called off in July 2025 due to unresolved disputes over power-sharing and governance. The core issue involved competing visions between the SAF and the RSF, particularly regarding the military's role in post-war governance. Egyptian opposition to a clause that would diminish military influence blocked consensus, causing the collapse of these talks.
The war in Sudan has seen both the SAF and the RSF accused of war crimes, with both leaders sanctioned by the US during the final days of the Joe Biden administration in January. A suicide drone, believed to have been launched by the RSF, targeted an outdoor army celebration in the town of Tamboul in the central Al Gezira region, killing five civilians and wounding 10 others.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Gen Al Burhan ruled out a political role for the Rapid Support Forces in a future administration during the meeting. Abu Aqla Kaykal, commander of the army-allied Sudan Shield Forces, was due to attend the 81st anniversary celebration of the Sudanese army, but there has been no immediate word from the army or the military-backed government on the meeting. Sudanese media reports indicate that Gen Al Burhan has returned to Sudan after the meeting.
The overall U.S. approach calls for appointing a special envoy for Sudan and engaging regional powers to reduce external interference, but tangible progress remains stalled. Massad Boulos has played an advisory and diplomatic role on the U.S. side, but no specific update on the Switzerland meeting with Gen. Al Burhan is reported in the current sources.
Intense fighting is currently taking place in parts of Kordofan and around El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, where the RSF has been besieging the city since May last year. The army is not making much progress in Kordofan, from where they hope to march on Darfur.
As the conflict continues, the international community remains hopeful for a peaceful resolution and an end to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
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