Sudan’s top military leader issued a stark warning on Thursday during his address at the United Nations, cautioning that the ongoing conflict in Sudan could escalate and pose a threat to regional stability. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who has effectively governed Sudan since a coup in 2021, pointed to the alleged ties between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Wagner, a Russian mercenary group facing Western sanctions due to reported misconduct in Africa.

Burhan emphasized the growing peril of the conflict, stating, “The danger of this war is now a threat to regional and international peace and security as those rebels have sought the support of outlaws and terrorist groups from different countries in the region and the world.” He warned that the situation resembled the spark of a broader war that could spill over into neighboring countries.

The conflict in Sudan erupted on April 15, following the collapse of a plan to integrate the Sudanese army and the RSF, which was led by Burhan’s former deputy, General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The ongoing violence has resulted in a substantial loss of life, with at least 7,500 casualties reported by the NGO Acled. Additionally, it has displaced approximately five million people, severely hampering efforts to establish democracy in Sudan.

General Burhan has been making international trips in what appears to be an attempt to bolster his legitimacy. During his address at the United Nations, he called on world powers to designate the RSF as a terrorist organization, citing a litany of alleged crimes committed by the paramilitary force. Burhan asserted, “Those who have supported killing, burning, raping, forced displacement, looting, stealing, torture, trafficking of arms and drugs, bringing mercenaries or recruiting children—all such crimes necessitate accountability and punishment.”

The United States recently imposed sanctions on RSF leaders, including senior commander Abdelrahim Hamdan Dago, for alleged abuses, including the killing of the governor of West Darfur. However, Western powers, including the United States, have also expressed strong criticism of General Burhan. In 2021, alongside RSF leader Daglo, Burhan sidelined the civilian leadership that had been part of a transitional power-sharing arrangement following mass protests that led to the ousting of former dictator Omar al-Bashir.

Burhan affirmed his commitment to transferring power to the Sudanese people, stating, “We are still committed to our previous pledges to transfer power to the people of Sudan with great national consensus and consent,” and added that the armed forces would disengage from politics permanently.