Sudan’s ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ruled out negotiation with paramilitaries after he survived a drone attack on Wednesday in the war-torn country’s east.
The army said five people were killed in a drone attack on a ceremony at the Gibet base, where Burhan was overseeing a graduation ceremony.
“We will not retreat, we will not surrender, and we will not negotiate,” Burhan, who appeared unharmed, told troops at the Gibet base after the attack.
“We are not scared of drones,” al-Burhan said at the Gibet base, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Port Sudan, where the army-aligned government fled after war broke out with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April last year.
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There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
The United States has invited both sides to negotiations next month in Geneva, which Sudan’s foreign ministry said must be preceded by “more discussions” on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Burhan ruled out talks with the RSF.
Any peace initiative “must recognise, invite and consult the Sudanese state”, he said, referring to his government.
“We will not lay down our guns until we clean this country of every conspirator and every rebel,” he vowed.
Already, the war – which Burhan says the army intends to win “with our head high” – has killed tens of thousands of people, with some estimates of up to 150,000, according to US envoy to Sudan Tom Perriello.
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