Arman Faction Rejects Burhan Dialogue Plan Without Ceasefire

Khartoum, August 16, 2026 - The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-Revolutionary Democratic Current rejected army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's call for national dialogue, warning that talks held during active hostilities would legitimize the war rather than create a credible path to peace.

The faction led by Yasir Arman said any political process launched without a ceasefire, humanitarian measures, and agreed mediation would lack practical value. It also objected to a preparatory committee shaped by one belligerent party and its allies.

The SPLM-RDC called for inclusive participation by anti-war forces and communities directly affected by the conflict. It argued that a durable settlement must address the roots of Sudan's crisis, including militia proliferation, state capture, national unity, the legacy of the former National Congress Party, and the absence of a single professional national army.

The movement also warned against the inclusion of Islamist forces in the proposed Khartoum talks, comparing the initiative to failed dialogue efforts under former President Omer al-Bashir. It called instead for direct negotiations between the military and anti-war forces at a mutually agreed neutral venue.

For investors and diplomats, the statement underscores the depth of Sudan's political fragmentation and the difficulty of converting elite dialogue proposals into a ceasefire or governance framework capable of stabilizing state institutions.