Sudan’s military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, made his way to Egypt on Tuesday for a crucial meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as reported in an official military statement. This diplomatic journey comes hot on the heels of Burhan’s firm refusal to engage in negotiations with the leader of the rival paramilitary force, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
As the Chairman of Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council, Burhan’s visit to Egypt was primarily aimed at discussing the latest developments unfolding in Sudan, as confirmed by the council’s official statement. Notably, this marks General Burhan’s inaugural international visit since the eruption of conflict back in April, a conflict that pitted the military, under his leadership, against the formidable paramilitary force RSF, commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who also goes by the alias “Hemedti.”
On the preceding day, Burhan had visited the eastern coastal city of Port Sudan, where he revealed that a meticulously planned military operation, involving naval and air forces, had facilitated his safe departure from the army headquarters in the capital, Khartoum. He disclosed that two individuals had lost their lives during this operation.
Addressing a gathering of enthusiastic soldiers in Port Sudan, Burhan left no room for doubt, firmly stating, “We do not make deals with traitors; we do not make deals with anyone who has betrayed the Sudanese people.” This declaration followed closely on the heels of RSF’s leader expressing willingness for talks and a potential long-term ceasefire. It was also a few days after Burhan emerged from Khartoum for the first time since the onset of the conflict.
Both factions have shared power since their joint effort to topple former dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019. However, they now pointed fingers at each other for igniting the war, which had erupted amidst plans to unify their forces into a singular entity as part of Sudan’s transition towards democracy.
Burhan remained resolute, stating, “We are dedicating all our time to this war… to ending this rebellion.” He promised a swift and definitive triumph, echoing the sentiments expressed earlier by the military leadership.
“The RSF are completely exhausted; just a little effort and they will be finished,” he asserted.
Burhan embarked on his journey to Egypt from Port Sudan on Tuesday. It’s noteworthy that Egypt maintains deep-rooted relations with the Sudanese military and its top brass. In July, President Sisi hosted a meeting of Sudan’s neighbouring nations and unveiled a ceasefire proposal. However, a series of delicate truces, brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia, failed to hold.
In recent weeks, the military has valiantly defended its armoured Corps base in southern Khartoum against a relentless RSF assault. This base, along with the army headquarters where Burhan had been stationed, stood as their last strongholds within the capital. This siege resulted in civilian casualties and left the local populace without access to essential utilities, such as electricity and water, while making escape increasingly difficult, according to activists.
The two factions also engaged in fierce battles for control over Nyala in South Darfur state, with activists reporting numerous civilian casualties. Aid agencies lamented that the city had been isolated from aid and basic services.
The conflict in Sudan has regrettably claimed the lives of at least 4,000 individuals, as reported by the UN human rights office. Nevertheless, activists and medical professionals on the ground assert that the actual death toll is likely far higher. This devastating turmoil has displaced over 4.6 million people, as per the UN migration agency’s statistics. Among them are more than 3.6 million who sought refuge in safer regions within Sudan, while another million-plus crossed the borders into neighboring countries.
