Sudan’s Sovereign Council member removed from office
November 3, 2023 (PORT SUDAN) – Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council, issued a constitutional decree on Friday, relieving al-Hadi Idris from his position as a member of the collegial body.
The decree, while not providing a specific reason for Idris’s removal, occurs within a context of political upheaval in Sudan, marked by the ongoing armed conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023.
Al-Hadi Idris is the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement – Transitional Council (SLM-TS) and also serves as the head of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front, a coalition of armed groups.
He, Malik Agar of the SPLM-N, and Al-Tahir Hajer of the GSLF joined the Sovereign Council on February 4, 2021, as part of the Juba Peace Agreement reached in October 2020.
In his decree, al-Burhan additionally requested the SLM-TC to nominate a replacement for the departed official.
Following the outbreak of conflict, Idris left Khartoum and travelled abroad in July, accompanied by several political allies, the leaders of the Forces for Freedom and Change who campaign against the war. Subsequently, he did not rejoin al-Burhan in Port Sudan or participate in Sovereign Council meetings.
In September, the head of the Sovereign Council issued a directive that assigned the supervision of various ministries to military commanders members of the Council and his deputy, Malik Agar. This decision excluded al-Hadi Idris and al-Tahir Hajer from any sovereign or executive responsibilities.
(ST)