General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the Constitutional head of Sudan, the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, met Tuesday 29th August with his cabinet for the first time since hostilities broke out on April 15th, as his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo, attempted to seize the leadership in a military coup.
With Khartoum now an open battlefield, the gathering of the Sudan government – the first such meeting in 4 months, was held in eastern coastal city of Port Sudan. It has been viewed as a significant sign of growing military confidence by the forces of Sudan’s Armed Forces. Burhan explained that his ability to travel beyond the confines of his operational HQ and to venture outside the capital was enabled as part of a major operation, which included naval, air force, and on the ground military coordination.
General Burhan delivers a rallying speech to his cabinet
Speaking to those assembled in Port Sudan, General Burhan delivered a rallying speech designed to underline what he believed would be the Sudan Armed Forces imminent victory on the battlefield. He said:
‘I confirm that my exit from the General Command took place without any help, and I did not leave with a deal or by arranging any agreement. This was a military action carried out by the armed forces, and anyone who says that there is an agreement or that there is a party that helped or that there is a deal is delusional. We do not agree with the traitors or those outside the Sudanese people (traitors referring to Rapid Support Forces and those outside Sudan meaning Americans)’
He saluted two soldiers who he explained had sacrificed their lives to enable his successful departure, saying:
‘We are proud that our brothers in the Navy were part of this operation (his exit from Khartoum) and there are two martyrs in the operation of the general’s commander (referring to himself) exit from the General Command, and the Air Force, the Land Forces and the Navy participated in this operation, and it was an operation in which there was fighting, and we offered martyrs in it’
The Sudan Information Minister promised an end to the fighting and the restoration of Sudan’s economy
Following the meeting, the Government’s Information Minister, addressed the press and in an upbeat tone defined the short-term objectives to end the fighting and to get Sudan’s economy back on its feet. He explained how the crucial sectors of food and health had been severely impacted by the fighting and he recognised that this had caused immeasurable suffering to the Sudanese people. But he promised that these disruptions would end soon. He said:
‘The effort exerted in the various productive sectors, whether the agricultural or mineral sectors, must be preserved and doubled in production for the benefit of all Sudanese. I affirmed at the end of the meeting that the rebellion (the Rapid Support Forces) is in decline and that victory is very close’
The delegation travels to Egypt to meet with President Sisi
Following the gathering in Port Sudan, the Chair of the Sovereign Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, travelled with the acting Foreign Minister, Ali al-Sadiq, Gen. Ahmed Ibrahim Mufadel, the head of the General Intelligence Authority, and a number of other military officers, to the city of el-Alamein in Egypt. There he met and held talks with Egypt’s President, President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. A statement issued by the Egyptian ministry of foreign affairs after the meeting stated that the two leaders had discussed ways to end the conflict in Sudan in a way that would preserve ‘the sovereignty and integrity of Sudanese State’
General Burhan later appeared on Egyptian television making bold statements accusing the RSF of attempting to seize power in Sudan. He asserted his commitment to facilitating free and fair elections in Sudan, which would reinstate a democratic civilian government. He said:
‘We’re facing a destructive war initiated by rebel groups … that committed heinous crimes that amount to war crimes’
