The Sudanese Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum) has said it was ready to meet with Sudanese army commander Abdulfattah al-Burhan “at any place and time” of his choosing, including in the temporary capital, Port Sudan.
Taqaddum’s spokesman, Alaeddine Naqd, indicated that the coordination committee is ready to meet with Burhan “anywhere and at any time, whether inside or outside Sudan and that it has been requesting such a meeting since last December.”
Naqd told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Forces hope the meeting will be held soon because the war is exacerbating the suffering of the Sudanese.
The head of Taqaddum, former Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok, sent two letters to both Burhan and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti)
the day after the formation of the Coordination, requesting a meeting with the two men to discuss ending the war.
Hemedti responded and held meetings with Taqaddum officials in Addis Ababa, which led to the signing of the Addis Ababa Declaration, stipulating an immediate cessation of hostilities and establishing a unified national army that was not subject to any political or ideological restrictions.
However, Burhan did not officially respond to Hamdok’s request, which forced him to renew his request in another letter.
In an indirect response to Taqaddum’s request, Burhan said that the search for solutions must come from “inside the country, not outside it.”
Last Tuesday, Burhan met with his forces in the 11th Division in the Khashm al-Qirba region, east of the country.
The leader indicated he would not negotiate with anyone outside the country, and he would not travel to meet anyone abroad, asserting that the solution lies within Sudan.
Meanwhile, Taqaddum officials are holding meetings in Juba, South Sudan, to expand the civil anti-war front.
A meeting between Hamdok and the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, was delayed after the former PM tested positive for the coronavirus.
The delegation, which arrived in Juba at the invitation of Mayardit, is holding meetings with officials and is expected to meet with Commander of Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA-N) Abdel Aziz al-Hilu and the leader of Sudan Liberation Movement Abdul Wahid al-Nur.
Taqaddum had previously sent two letters to both men requesting a meeting to expand the civil front and create a broad bloc to stop the war. The two initially accepted the offer, but sessions must be scheduled.
Furthermore, the media office of the Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council said Burhan received a written message from Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh discussing the development of bilateral relations.
On Thursday, Burhan met with the Djibouti envoy, Ambassador Issa Khairi, who delivered the presidential message addressing bilateral relations and their development in various fields.
Djibouti chairs the current Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) session, which leads mediation between the two sides of the war in Sudan.
Last Tuesday, Burhan reiterated that any statement issued by IGAD does not concern Sudan after he suspended his country’s membership in the organization to protest allowing Hemedti to attend the 42nd extraordinary summit in Uganda.
