El Burhan arrives in Tripoli as Libya bids to broker Sudan peace

The chairperson of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, commander-in-chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and de facto head of the Sudanese government, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, arrived in the Libyan capital Tripoli this morning, on an official visit during which he held discussions with the president of the Libyan Presidential Council, and the prime minister of the Libyan Government of National Unity. In ventures to broker peace between the warring parties, the Libyan government has also extended an invitation to the commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Lt Gen Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo, which he has accepted.

After his arrival in Tripoli, El Burhan, accompanied by Sudan’s Foreign Minister-designate Ali El Sadig, and the director of the General Intelligence Service (GIS), Lt Gen Ahmed Mufaddal, were received by the president of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed Yunus Al Menfi, and the prime minister of the Libyan Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.

During a bilateral meeting today El Buhan and President Al Menfi discussed “strengthening bilateral relations and ways to support the prospects for joint cooperation between the two countries, in a way that serves the interests of the two brotherly peoples”.

A statement by Transitional Sovereignty Council media liaison says that El Burhan briefed the Libyan president on developments in the situation in Sudan, against the backdrop of what he termed “the RSF’s rebellion against the state, which has resulted in the targeting of civilians, the killing of defenceless innocents, and the sabotage of vital institutions, installations, and infrastructure projects”.

El Burhan stressed that the government of Sudan agreed to negotiate in the Jeddah platform in order to end the suffering of the Sudanese people. He pointed out to his Libyan counterpart that an agreement was reached in May 2023, that stipulated that forces withdraw from civilian homes, however, he says “the RSF did not adhere to it”.

During the meeting, El Burhan voiced appreciation “for the positive positions of Libya towards Sudan, calling for and supporting Sudan’s unity, national security and stability, and rejecting negative foreign interference in the two brotherly countries”.

Al Menfi affirmed Libya’s support for Sudan and its support for its unity, security, and territorial integrity, indicating that Sudan is an important country for Libya, and its stability and cohesion cannot be neglected. He added that Libya’s efforts to reach peace in Sudan are a commitment and responsibility towards this brotherly country, stressing that “these efforts will continue until they bear fruit,” given the importance Sudan represents in the region.

RSF Commander Hemedti confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that he has received and accepted an invitation to visit Tripoli by Libya’s Prime Minister Dbeibeh.

This confirms reports in Libyan media that Dbeibeh proposed a peace and ceasefire initiative between the SAF and RSF, following a phone call between him and the RSF on Sunday.

In his post, Hemedti expressed his thanks to Dbeibeh, and promised to meet him “in the near future”. The RSF commander also lauded the Libyan initiative and efforts in supporting peace in Sudan.