Burhan makes first appearance among troops since outbreak of clashes

May 17, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s army chief, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, appeared with ground troops in Khartoum on Wednesday for the first time since fighting erupted against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on April 15.

In a video posted on the Armed Forces’ Facebook page,  Burhan was welcomed by a group of soldiers in the Land Forces Command. They raised victory signs after rallying around him.

Previously, during the early days of fierce battles, the army released footage showing Burhan watching the situation from an operations room on multiple screens, accompanied by a member of the Sovereign Council, Shams al-Din Kabbashi.

The date of the video’s filming is unknown, but the backgrounds depicted the aftermath of fire and destruction at the General Command, resulting from shelling and intense fighting between the two forces.

Since April, the army headquarters has been a battleground, with both the army and the Rapid Support Forces vying for control. However, the confrontations around the headquarters have subsided in the past two days.

Residents of the capital have shown solidarity with the armed forces following the outbreak of fighting. Nevertheless, criticism persists regarding the lack of security on the streets and the increasing incidents of shop looting.

Hemetti whereabouts

Three days ago, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, posted an audio message on his Facebook page in response to rumours suggesting that he had been killed or injured during the recent clashes.

In the message, he confirmed that he was safe in Khartoum with his troops. He also vowed to defeat Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and bring him to justice.

(ST)