Sudan’s army-backed government has rejected US remarks questioning its legitimacy, insisting that efforts to end the country’s civil war must respect its sovereignty and national institutions.

US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said on Tuesday that neither the Sudanese Armed Forces nor the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF), or their leaders, “represent legitimate, constitutional governance for Sudan.” He said “the conduct of each leader of the warring factions renders them ineligible to govern the country,” adding that Washington seeks “to restore peace and give power back to the Sudanese people.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said Khartoum “strongly rejects” the State Department’s remarks and “calls for positive engagement with the Sudanese government.” It warned that negotiations must not legitimize territory taken by the paramilitaries or “reward the rebellion for its crimes against civilians and state institutions.” It demanded the dissolution of militias and exclusive state control over weapons.

The dispute comes as Washington has reportedly withheld a visa for Sudan’s transitional leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to attend the UN General Assembly in New York, making his attendance conditional on accepting a 90-day ceasefire, according to Reuters, citing sources.

Three years of war Sudan has been at war since April 2023, when a power struggle between Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo erupted into fighting. Burhan’s government relocated to Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast after fighting engulfed Khartoum. Prime Minister Kamil Idris announced its return to the capital earlier this year, following the army’s recapture of the city in 2025.

The army controls Khartoum and eastern Sudan, while the RSF dominates much of the western Darfur region. The paramilitary group and its allies established a rival administration last year in Nyala, South Darfur, with Dagalo heading its governing council and Mohammed Hassan al-Taishi serving as prime minister. The conflict has displaced millions of people and pushed parts of the country into famine. Repeated ceasefire efforts, including US-Saudi talks in Jeddah, have failed to halt the violence.

Mediation difficulties Burhan rejected a US-led proposal last November as “the worst yet,” arguing it would dismantle state security institutions while leaving the RSF in place. The Quad – comprising the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE – proposed a three-month humanitarian truce followed by a political transition toward civilian rule. The RSF said it accepted the truce.

The UAE’s involvement in mediation remains a major point of contention. Sudan’s army-backed government severed diplomatic ties with Abu Dhabi in May 2025, accusing it of supporting the RSF. The UAE denies supplying weapons to the paramilitaries.

On Wednesday, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said peace remains the government’s “choice and strategic goal.” It affirmed Khartoum’s readiness “for positive and responsible engagement” with the US and other partners, including Russia, who it said are “working sincerely and impartially” to achieve stability in Sudan, “far from dictates and external interferences.”