Prominent Sudanese civil figures on Sunday launched an initiative to lay the groundwork for an internal national dialogue aimed at ending the country’s conflict.

The group said it would operate independently to rebuild trust among political, civil and community leaders before formal talks begin.

The initiative follows army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s August 14 offer of legal, security and political guarantees for participants in domestic talks, including temporary immunity and protection from prosecution over statements made during the dialogue.

But the initiative faces significant opposition. Groups including the Somoud coalition, a faction of the Umma Party led by Mubarak al-Fadil, and the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur have rejected or expressed strong reservations about Burhan’s proposal, warning that holding talks in army-controlled areas while the war continues could legitimize or entrench military control.

Input from the Sudan Tribune