Sudan's army only seeks end of war, completion of democratic transition: Al-Burhan in Egypt

Ahram Online , Tuesday 29 Aug 2023

The Sudanese Armed Forces only seek to end the ongoing war in Sudan and to complete the country's democratic transition, the Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan stressed on Tuesday, in a briefing following a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in New Alamein.

main
Egypt s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi receives Chairman of Sudan s Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan at El-Alamein International Airport. TSC/still image

 

The Sudanese army is committed to establishing a "genuine" transitional period enabling the Sudanese people to establish a government via "free and fair" elections, Al-Burhan said. 

He also denied what he termed "lies" that the army has become an incubator for the former regime or for terrorist groups.

"The Sudanese Armed Forces are patriotic forces that have no intention to seize power or continue to rule Sudan," he asserted.

The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted on 15 April, without progress in peace talks or a lasting ceasefire since then.

Al-Burhan said he came to Egypt to brief the country's leadership on the latest developments in Sudan, marking his first trip outside the country since the conflict began.

The Sudanese general called upon the world to view the war objectively and correctly, noting that "this war was started by a group that wanted to seize power, and to achieve that, it has committed every heinous crime," including murder, displacement and looting.

"They committed the most heinous types of crimes, which can be classified as war crimes," Al-Burhan alleged.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese leader also thanked the Egyptian people and government for welcoming Sudanese refugees into Egypt following the outbreak of the war.

The conflict in Sudan has displaced nearly 3 million people in the past five months, with almost 700,000 seeking safety in neighbouring countries, according to recent figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix.

Egypt hosts the highest number of Sudanese, as per the IOM, with Egyptian officials estimating their number at over 250,000.

El-Sisi affirmed, during his meeting with Al-Burhan, Egypt's solidarity with Sudan and support for its security, stability, unity and territorial integrity, especially during the current crisis.

He also highlighted the "eternal" ties and the common strategic interests that unite the two countries, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian presidency following the meeting.

The meeting also followed up on goals set at Sudan's neighbouring countries summit, which was held recently in Egypt. 

Egypt has repeatedly called for halting the hostilities in Sudan, urging the warring parties to engage in serious talks aimed at achieving an immediate and lasting ceasefire.

 

Short link: