Khartoum, Sudan — Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has ruled out negotiations with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), saying the military will continue fighting until the paramilitary group is defeated.

Al-Burhan said on Tuesday that the Sudanese army would pursue the RSF across Darfur, Kordofan and Blue Nile, rejecting calls for a negotiated settlement to the country’s war.

He said the military intended to reclaim all territory held by the paramilitary force.

Fighting intensifies in Kordofan and Blue Nile

Al-Burhan’s comments came as fighting intensified in Kordofan, a strategic battleground between army-held areas in central and northern Sudan and RSF-controlled territory in the west.

At least 10 civilians were reportedly killed in an attack in West Kordofan.

Meanwhile, more than 5,500 people were displaced from villages in Blue Nile state over three days, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Al-Burhan stance complicates US ceasefire efforts

The rejection of negotiations could further complicate US-led efforts to secure a 90-day humanitarian ceasefire between the Sudanese army and the RSF.

The proposal is intended to pave the way for negotiations towards a longer-term settlement and an eventual civilian-led transition.

Washington has been pressing both sides to accept the plan, while Sudan’s army has demanded that the RSF fully withdraw from cities under its control.

Sudan war continues more than three years after outbreak

Sudan’s army and the RSF have been at war since April 2023, following a dispute over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the national military.

The conflict has since displaced more than 14 million people and triggered one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.