Civilian Alliance Rejects Army-Backed Dialogue Plan

Khartoum, August 10, 2026 - Sudan's civilian alliance Somoud rejected an army-backed proposal for an internal national dialogue, warning that talks held only in military-controlled territory could formalize the country's de facto fragmentation. The alliance, led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, said it had received no formal contact about the initiative floated by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Sudanese political sources indicated that Burhan had begun consultations with political and civil factions, including proposals to drop legal charges against anti-war civilian leaders. Somoud said any credible political process must prioritize an immediate ceasefire and the humanitarian emergency, rather than proceed while the country remains divided among armed factions.

It also called for an independent process that excludes former ruling Islamist factions, accountability for war crimes, and the handover of suspects to the International Criminal Court. International mediation involving the United Nations, African Union, Arab League, European Union and IGAD has stalled over disputes about venues and participants.

The deadlock underscores the risk that competing peace frameworks could harden territorial and institutional divisions, complicating any future national settlement.