Sudan military leader Al-Burhan declares clean break from pre-war era

In a concise Eid ul-Fitr address to the nation from Port Sudan, Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared a decisive break with the past.

The lieutenant general emphasised on Wednesday that Sudan is embarking on a new path, firmly leaving behind former President Omar al-Bashir's regime and the transitional government.

The military leader described the ongoing conflict, which commenced in April 2023, as the "battle of bignity," positioning it as the cornerstone of Sudan's future trajectory.

"There is no turning back. No return to what existed before April 15, 2023, October 25, 2021, or April 2019," he stated.

These statements, according to the Sudan Tribune, can be construed as a rejection of several scenarios: a resurgence of al-Bashir's extremist regime, the restoration of the pre-coup d'état civilian transitional government, or the implementation of the Political Framework Agreement aiming to integrate the RSF into the regular army, which sparked the current conflict.

The military leadership has consistently opposed relinquishing power to civilian forces.

Notably, Al-Burhan has rebuffed negotiations with the "Tagadum" coalition led by former Sudanese premier Abdalla Hamdok regarding ending the war and its aftermath.

He reiterated that the leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would not be reinstated into power, with only individual fighters eligible to join the army after surrendering weapons and entering designated cantonment sites.

Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan greets military personnel as he visits casualties receiving treatment at a hospital in the southeastern Gedaref state, on April 10, 2024, the first day of Eid al-Fitr. (Photo: AFP)

Al-Burhan expressed optimism about the war's progress, attributing it to the "unity between the army and the people."

He proclaimed, "This is the moment—the battle of dignity, the battle for the homeland. A new chapter begins."

The army general further commended the Sudanese people who joined the Popular Resistance forces nationwide to "repel aggression and cleanse the land of Sudan from mercenaries and hired guns."

He also vowed to "continue on the path of the martyrs" until "the last rebel and traitor is expelled from Sudan, and every area tainted by rebellion is purified."

Al-Burhan further stressed ongoing public support for the army and praised the "martyrs of the Battle of Karama" who sacrificed themselves for the nation.

He concluded his address by reaffirming his commitment to the "march to defend the homeland."

Following the control of Omdurman, the Sudanese army is engaged in combat with the RSF in Khartoum Bahri and Al-Jazirah State.

Military leaders insist on the complete expulsion of the RSF and view negotiations solely as a means of securing their surrender.

Al-Burhan appeared confident in his resolve to defeat the RSF but last December, he faced pressure and calls to step down after losing the country's second-largest city - Wad Madani - to the paramilitary force.

Some have criticised him as a weak leader incapable of stabilising the country, especially as thousands continue to flee the war.

Fighting between Al-Burhan and his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has, since April, killed tens of thousands and led to acute food shortages and a looming risk of famine.

According to the United Nations, more than 8.5 million people have fled their homes since the fighting broke out, with nearly 1.8 million having escaped across the country's borders.

"A year on, the war in Sudan continues to rage, with the country and its neighbours experiencing one of the largest and most challenging humanitarian and displacement crises in the world," Olga Sarrado Mur, spokeswoman for the United Nations' refugee agency UNHCR, reported at a press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.

"The ongoing conflict has shattered people's lives, filling them with fear and loss. Attacks on civilians, and conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence, continue unabated. Sudan has experienced the almost complete destruction of its urban middle class: architects, doctors, teachers, nurses, engineers and students have lost everything."

Burhan declared in January 2024 that there shall be no reconciliation with the RSF, rejecting peace efforts even after Daglo agreed to a ceasefire. The US hopes the talks will resume on April 18.

Additional reporting by AFP