Sudan’s devastating civil war, now stretching into its third year, has reached yet another impasse as top military and paramilitary leaders remain locked in a bitter standoff over a U.S.-led ceasefire proposal. Over the weekend of November 24, 2025, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, head of Sudan’s regular army, publicly rejected a truce plan brokered by the so-called Quad—a group of international mediators made up of the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates—calling it “the worst yet” and accusing the mediators of blatant bias in favor of his rivals, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The war, which erupted in April 2023 after a power struggle between the military and the RSF, has plunged Sudan into chaos. According to United Nations figures cited by AP and India Today, more than 40,000 people have been killed, though aid organizations warn the actual death toll is likely much higher. The fighting has displaced over 14 million people, fueled outbreaks of disease, and driven parts of the country to the brink of famine, creating what the U.N. describes as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
The latest ceasefire proposal, introduced by the Quad earlier this month, calls for a three-month humanitarian truce followed by a nine-month political process to negotiate a broader settlement. According to AP, U.S. adviser for African affairs Massad Boulos described the plan as an opportunity to halt hostilities and pave the way for much-needed aid and eventual political transition.
But Burhan, in a video released by the Sudanese military on Sunday, lambasted the plan, claiming it would “eliminate the Armed Forces, dissolve security agencies and keep the militia where they are”—a reference to the RSF. He declared, “If the mediation continues in this direction, we will consider it to be biased mediation.” He went further, accusing Boulos of trying to “impose some conditions on us,” and warned, “We fear that Massad Boulos will be an obstacle to the peace that all the people of Sudan seek.”
Burhan’s rejection of the proposal came just as the RSF, led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, announced a unilateral three-month humanitarian ceasefire. Dagalo said in a speech on Monday, “In response to international efforts, chiefly that of His Excellency US President Donald Trump ... I announce a humanitarian ceasefire including a cessation of hostilities for three months.” He urged the Quad countries to “play their role in pushing the other side to engage with this step.”
This move by the RSF follows global outrage over atrocities committed in the Darfur city of el-Fasher, where hundreds were reportedly killed during the group’s takeover in late October. The RSF’s announcement, however, was met with skepticism. As France 24 reported, the group had previously accepted the Quad’s plan but continued attacks on army-held territory, including a barrage of drone strikes. The RSF has also been accused of genocide and sanctioned by the United States, as have both Dagalo and Burhan.
The ceasefire debate has exposed deep fissures not only between Sudan’s warring factions but also among the international mediators themselves. Burhan’s criticism singled out the United Arab Emirates, a Quad member, accusing it of supporting the RSF. “Since the Quad includes the Gulf country as a member, the mediation group was not innocent of responsibility, especially since the entire world has witnessed the UAE’s support for the rebels against the Sudanese State,” Burhan said, as reported by AP and India Today. Rights groups and classified U.S. intelligence assessments, according to AP, have echoed these concerns, alleging that the UAE has supplied weapons to the RSF. The UAE, for its part, has denied the accusations, insisting its goal is to help end the war.
In an unusually pointed statement on Monday, UAE Foreign Minister Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy condemned Burhan’s rejection of the ceasefire as “obstructive behavior,” asserting, “In his rejection of the US Peace Plan for Sudan, and his repeated refusal to accept a ceasefire, he demonstrates consistently obstructive behavior.”
The United States, meanwhile, has signaled renewed attention to the Sudan crisis. President Donald Trump, after talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House earlier this month, announced plans to focus more on ending the war. The move comes as the Quad’s efforts to revive Sudan’s stunted democratic transition—derailed by a 2021 military coup—have so far failed to yield results.
On November 25, 2025, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres joined the chorus of international voices calling for an immediate ceasefire and the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. Writing on social platform X, Guterres urged both the military and the RSF to negotiate a settlement and demanded an end to the transfer of arms and fighters into Sudan. “We need peace in Sudan,” he wrote, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Despite mounting international pressure, Burhan has remained steadfast. He insists the military will only agree to a truce if the RSF withdraws from civilian areas, allowing millions of displaced Sudanese to return home before any political talks can begin. “We’re not warmongers, and we don’t reject peace,” Burhan said, “but no one can threaten us or dictate terms to us.” He has also denied allegations that the military is controlled by Islamists or that it has used chemical weapons—claims that surfaced earlier this year from the Trump administration.
For ordinary Sudanese, the diplomatic wrangling and mutual recriminations offer little solace. The ongoing violence has devastated communities, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan, where ethnically-based bloodshed has been especially severe. Millions now live in makeshift camps, reliant on sporadic international aid that often fails to reach those most in need due to insecurity and bureaucratic obstacles.
Observers note that the Quad’s mediation has been complicated by the competing interests and alliances of its members. While the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have pressed for a negotiated settlement, Egypt’s historical ties to Sudan’s military and the UAE’s alleged support for the RSF have fueled suspicions and undercut trust. As AP explained, the international community faces a daunting challenge in brokering a deal that both sides view as legitimate and fair.
With the RSF’s unilateral ceasefire in effect, at least on paper, and the army’s continued refusal to sign on, Sudan’s future remains as uncertain as ever. The international community is left to wonder: will diplomatic pressure and humanitarian appeals finally break the deadlock, or will the world’s largest displacement crisis continue to spiral?
As the war drags on, the hopes of millions of Sudanese for peace, stability, and a return home hang in the balance—held hostage by leaders unwilling to compromise and a world struggling to find common ground.
