Al-Burhan pledges immunity for dialogue participants, rules out Hemedti return

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan's Sovereign Council and commander of the army, pledged on August 16 to grant temporary immunity along with legal, political, and security guarantees to participants in a national dialogue coordinated by an independent national mechanism.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 72nd anniversary of the Sudanese Armed Forces early that day, al-Burhan said criminal proceedings against dialogue participants under investigation would be temporarily suspended for the duration of their participation, without affecting the rights of those who have filed complaints.

He stressed that the state's measures for dialogue participants were not a pardon but merely a suspension of proceedings, aimed at facilitating their participation without infringing on plaintiffs' rights.

According to him, the national dialogue should be conducted openly in public spaces so that society can express opinions and criticism without fear or restriction. All statements made during dialogue sessions would not be used as grounds for legal prosecution.

Al-Burhan noted that a group of Sudanese figures had independently proposed this initiative and would oversee the process, while affirming that the state neither organizes the dialogue nor dictates its agenda or outcomes. Sources said the national mechanism is expected to hold a press conference in the coming days to announce its vision and plan.

On the war, al-Burhan said the army is ready to engage in any serious peace initiative but will not accept an “incomplete” peace that brings the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, and his supporters back to power. He insisted the army would continue its campaign to “cleanse the country of terrorist militias.”

The path to peace, he said, must begin with the RSF withdrawing from cities and assembling in designated areas, followed by allowing displaced people and refugees to return home. Only then could discussions take place on the status of RSF fighters and the possibility of integrating those not guilty of crimes into the regular forces.

Al-Burhan said he had begun negotiations with national forces that had previously supported the state and its institutions during earlier phases, aiming to bring them into completing government bodies, including representation in the legislative council (parliament) being discussed.

In a related development, a delegation from the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council is expected to arrive in Khartoum on August 16 for a three-day visit, the second since the war began. The delegation comprises representatives from 15 member states, led by Algeria's representative—the country holding the council's rotating presidency for August.

According to Sudan's Al-Muhaqiq news agency, the delegation will meet al-Burhan, Prime Minister Kamil Idris, political groups, and civil society organizations. In July, the AU special envoy for Sudan, Mohamed Belaiche, discussed the political and security situation and the reopening of the AU office in the capital. Sudan has formally requested the AU to lift its suspension of membership, imposed after al-Burhan dissolved the Sovereign Council and the cabinet in October 2021.