Africa-Press. The Civil Democratic Alliance of the Forces of the Revolution (Somoud) has called for the establishment of an international fact-finding commission to investigate allegations that the Sudanese army used chemical weapons in its war against the Rapid Support Forces. The alliance said it is ready to hand over any member found guilty to international justice.
Somoud spokesperson Jaafar Hassan said that the head of the Sovereignty Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, had himself called for an international committee to investigate the accusations. He added that rejecting an impartial international investigation raises suspicions that there may be something to hide.
Hassan rejected accusations by Sudanese Information Minister Khaled al-Aiser, who accused the alliance of treason, supporting the Rapid Support Forces, and mobilizing countries and organizations against Sudan. He stressed that Somoud maintains equal distance from all parties to the conflict, arguing that there are only two camps in Sudan: the camp of war and the camp of peace, to which Somoud belongs.
In response, General al-Burhan denied that the army had used internationally banned chemical weapons during the fighting, asserting that such allegations would not be believed by the Sudanese people. He questioned the existence and location of the alleged weapons and threatened those spreading the claims, saying the entire Sudanese people would hold them accountable. He also emphasized that the army does not belong to al-Burhan, but to the Sudanese people.
Elsewhere, the Somoud spokesperson criticized the reopening of Khartoum airport without a political agreement to end the war, warning against exploiting the move for propaganda purposes at the expense of civilian lives. He also questioned whether Sudanese airspace is fully secured from takeoff to landing, noting that the continuation of the conflict and reciprocal drone attacks have left the security situation unstable.
Alliance’s European tour
Regarding the alliance’s European tour, Hassan said its main objectives were to urge Europeans to pressure for an end to the war, protect civilians, and expose crimes committed by all sides. He noted that Germany increased its commitment to humanitarian aid for Sudan by €150 million immediately after the visit.
He also defended the alliance’s meeting with Ali al-Haj, leader of the Popular Congress Party, explaining that the party had taken an early and clear stance against military coups, rejecting both the 25 October coup and the current war. He said differences with the Popular Congress Party are ideological only, while sharing a common goal of ending the conflict.
As for relations with the National Congress Party, Hassan outlined three conditions for engagement: distancing itself from the army and refraining from using it, dissolving its affiliated militias, and ceasing calls to continue the war. He said the National Congress Party is deeply entrenched in military and civil institutions and insists on prolonging the conflict.
He concluded by stressing that the alliance strongly condemns crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces and calls for the creation of an investigative committee into all violations committed by both sides, affirming that anyone who commits crimes against the Sudanese people must be brought to justice regardless of position or affiliation.
