New York - Sudan's de facto leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, issued a stark warning to the United Nations, cautioning that the country's ongoing civil war has the potential to spill over into neighboring African nations.

In a recent address to the UN, General al-Burhan also called upon the international community to officially designate his adversaries, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as a terrorist group. The RSF, led by Hamdan Dagalo, has been a central player in the conflict.

The civil war, which erupted in Sudan in April, has exacted a heavy toll, claiming the lives of thousands and displacing millions of people. The conflict originated from a power struggle between General al-Burhan and General Dagalo, both of whom were behind a coup in 2021.

While General al-Burhan expressed a willingness to engage in peace talks during his UN speech, he asserted that the RSF has been resistant to such negotiations. However, in a rare video message to the UN, General Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, conveyed his readiness to participate in talks, potentially offering a glimmer of hope for a peaceful resolution.

The civil war in Sudan began when RSF forces were deployed throughout the country, a move perceived as a threat by the army under General al-Burhan's leadership. The exact trigger for the conflict remains disputed, but it quickly escalated into violence in various regions, resulting in a death toll of at least 7,500 people, according to the NGO Acled.

General al-Burhan, who has been actively seeking international support, raised concerns at the UN about the RSF's ties to Wagner, a Russian mercenary group operating in several African countries. He argued that the RSF's actions, which allegedly include violence, displacement, looting, and human rights abuses, warrant their classification as a terrorist organization.

General al-Burhan, however, has faced criticism for his own military actions throughout the conflict. Upon his resignation in mid-September, the UN envoy to Sudan, Volker Perthes, condemned both generals for their role in thrusting the country into a devastating war. Perthes specifically accused the RSF of sexual violence, looting, and killings in areas under its control and criticized the Sudanese armed forces for indiscriminate aerial bombings.

The United States has already imposed sanctions on RSF leaders, including General Dagalo, but Western nations have also been highly critical of General al-Burhan due to his involvement in the 2021 coup that displaced Sudan's leading party from power. The situation in Sudan remains highly volatile and uncertain, with the international community closely watching developments and efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict.