They spoke on the day the UN Security Council was due to meet in New York to discuss a draft resolution on Sudan, as human rights watchdogs called for a UN peacekeeping mission to protect civilians from injuries.

The draft resolution, prepared by Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom and circulated to other Council members, condemns “ethnically motivated crimes, sexual and gender-based violence … and the destruction and looting of livelihoods and homes by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF )… “.

It calls on member states to refrain from interfering in the war and to fully respect the arms embargo on Darfur, and for the warring parties to agree on a ceasefire.

Major General Omar Hamdam Ahmed, head of the RSF delegation, accused the junta led by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) of undermining peace efforts.

“We have embraced and participated in all initiatives such as the Jeddah and Geneva talks, but the SAF has always found ways to avoid these talks and they are not interested in returning the country to civilian rule,” Major General Ahmed said at press conference in Nairobi. The Panafric Hotel, where the RSF held a PowerPoint presentation of its war positions.

The SAF and RSF have been fighting since April 15, 2023. More than 20,000 people have died in the conflict, either directly from injuries or from starvation or lack of access to medical care, according to reports by rights groups.

The presentation hinted at the uncertainty of seeking peace in Sudan, with the two sides digging in their heels.

The briefing in Nairobi is likely to prompt a terse response from Port Sudan, where the SAF, Sudan’s de facto government, is now holed up after moving its offices from the capital Khartoum.

Burhan recently accused the UAE and other unnamed countries of joining the RSF to perpetuate the war.

“A war is being waged by a group of rebels who receive political and logistical support at the local and regional levels,” Burhan told an audience at the UN General Assembly in New York in September.

“You have all witnessed the crimes, violations and atrocities committed by these rebels targeting the Sudanese people and the Sudanese state,” he added, saying the RSF was engaging in “devastating aggression”.

Burhan spoke in international arenas as the head of Sudan, although RSF also gave sarcastic speeches, basically to imitate the government of Sudan. In addition, Burhan also received state invitations to Moscow and Beijing, where he held talks with their leaders.

Gen Ahmed said that as of May 2023, the RSF was cooperating with all peace initiatives, but that its opponents were not serious and were determined to retain power. Burhan skipped the last round of talks, citing uninvited guests at the meeting, the United Arab Emirates.

But RSF denies receiving any support from the UAE, saying: “We do not receive assistance from any country.” This claim has been contradicted by evidence gathered by a UN panel of experts on Sudan, as well as by independent researchers.

RSF acknowledges that there have been some human rights violations in Al-Gezira state, south of Khartoum, where violence has recently raged. But the group claims the perpetrators are impersonators led by Abu Agla Keikel, an RSF commander who defected to the SAF in October.

For Nairobi, the presence of the RSF could trigger a diplomatic row with Burhan. But it is not the only country in the region accused of indirectly supporting the RSF. Uganda also had to defend itself against such claims.

Nairobi did not immediately comment on the press conference, but President Ruto has in the past called for dialogue with all stakeholders to ensure an end to the war.

And he got a nod from Burhan for that.

Earlier this year, Burhan suspended cooperation with the regional bloc the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) after appearing to invite the RSF. Burhan had earlier refused President Ruto’s mediating role under Igad, although he visited Nairobi after which they agreed to continue pursuing peaceful means, he indicated at the time last November.

General Ezzadin Elsaf Risi, a member of the RSF High Command, defended President Ruto saying he tried hard to get Burhan and General Hamdan Dagalo to meet face to face and agree on a ceasefire, unsuccessfully.

In fact, Dr Ruto launched a third avenue of talks earlier this year targeting civil movements with relative influence over the warring factions to seek peace. It didn’t work.

“I have found reasons for hope in the resolution of the crisis in Sudan in the last two days of meetings with Sudanese in Cairo, including Sufi leaders, various political coalitions, youth leaders focused on transitional justice and humanitarian experts hoping to bring food and medicine. all 18 states of Sudan,” he said.

The US special envoy was expected in Port Sudan on Monday to meet with Burhan.

Last week, Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused the RSF of killing, injuring and illegally detaining dozens of civilians and raping women and girls in Al Gezira state since October 20, 2024.

HRW called on the United Nations to deploy a peacekeeping mission in Sudan to act as a buffer zone and prevent further civilian casualties.

About 30 million Sudanese are facing faminebut RSF claims to have worked with humanitarian organizations to deliver more than 570 humanitarian food caravans to areas under its control, including West Darfur, Al-Gezira, Blue Nile and Kordofan.

RSF claimed that in October and November alone, more than 2,873 people were killed by government airstrikes.

“The biggest challenge now is airstrikes in areas under our control by the SAF and Egypt – which are now directly interfering in Sudan’s internal affairs,” said Mohammed Muktar Nur, RSF spokesman.

The press conference raised the question of why the Ruto government could allow a group considered rebel in Sudan to move freely within the country.