Surpassing the 1000 days of civil war in Sudan, President Trump’s pledge to end the conflict has fallen flat. Not only have diplomatic efforts since November 2025 failed to de-escalate the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), but the latest  summit in Cairo also failed to advance a peace plan.

The conflict, which broke out in April 2023 between General Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo (RSF) General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (SAF). Burhan, head of the Transitional Sovereign Council (TSC) based in Port Sudan, continues to refuse efforts to restart peace talks with rival Hamedti. Partly restrained by his dependence on Islamist factions, Burhan refuses to sit with ‘rebel factions and continues to set red lines as distractions. Burhan and his Muslim Brotherhood (MB)-affiliated Islamist partners have rejected plans presented by US presidential advisor Massad Boulos as well as diplomatic efforts by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The latter embraced a wider role delegated by President Trump back in November during meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. 

The conflict has torn through the country, unleashing the world’s worst health and humanitarian crisis. Over 20 million remain food insecure, with over 13 million displaced internally and across neighbouring countrie. The latest round of peace talks in mid-January hosted by the Egyptian government, a member of the Quad along with the US, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, came two months following the US-Saudi Arabia talks in Washington, DC. While talks failed to reach an agreement between warring parties, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated his government’s commitment to Sudan’s territorial integrity, saying “Egypt won’t stand idly and won’t hesitate to take the necessary measures to help preserve Sudan’s unity.”  

Boulos, who attended the summit, highlighted the US had facilitated delivery of over “1.3 metric tons of humanitarian supplies [into] el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur” as he held talks with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. Both officials also pointed to the Quad’s peace proposal. While the summit didn’t deliver any breakthroughs, the Quad announced on 3 February a new document agreed to by both warring parties, and a plan to raise $1.3 billion for humanitarian assistance. Again, nothing concrete so far. 

The push for a peace deal by the Quad came as the US expanded its sanctions on SAF allies in late 2025. In April, the US government sanctioned the SAF for alleged use of chemical weapons against rival military factions. Reports accused SAF units of using chlorine gas against RSF elements, later independently verified by journalists and human rights organizations who released video and photos documentation from September 2024 confirming the use of chemical weapons against civilians. In September, the US sanctions Burhan’s Finance Minister, Ibrahim (Gebreil) Mohammed Fediel and the Al-Bara’a bin Malik Brigade (BBMB). Two of Burhan’s vital allies that are also opposed to any UN or US-led peace talks that undermine their role in a future government. 

For the US, the mere possibility of further use of chemical weapon threatens a wider escalation in already fragile environment. The US is also concerned these weapons may fall in hands of Islamist extremists groups as the lines blur on command and control between SAF commanders and militia leaders controlling the Al-Bara’a bin Malik Brigade and Sudan Shield Forces (SSF). As Burhan continues to reject peace negotiations, the US threatens a heavier handed approach following sanctions against branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. A move against Muslim Brotherhood-affiliates in Port Sudan would be a major blow to Burhan and the TSC. 

It is unclear if the new plan announced by Boulos will lead to a ceasefire any time soon, but what is clear is that if diplomatic efforts fail, the US could move to sanction a number of Burhan’s allies and organizations affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Trump administration has made it abundantly clear, the MB is a target at home and abroad. 

© Eurasia Review