Sudan’s Al-Burhan vows no return to pre-war era
March 9, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – In a brief Eid al-Fitr address to the nation, Sudanese army chief Lt Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared a decisive break with the past. He stressed that the pre-war period, encompassing both al-Bashir’s regime and the transitional government, is over. Sudan is on a new path.
Al-Burhan stressed that the ongoing conflict, which began in April 2023, will be known as the “Battle of Dignity” and will serve as the foundation for building a new future for Sudan. He delivered a strong message, stating: “There is no turning back. No return to what existed before April 15, 2023, October 25, 2021, or April 2019.”
These words can be interpreted as a rejection of several possibilities: a return to al-Bashir’s Islamist regime due to the Islamists’ participation in the war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the reinstatement of the pre-coup d’état civilian transitional government, or the Political Framework Agreement aimed at integrating the RSF into the regular army (the cause of the current conflict).
Military leadership has consistently opposed handing power back to civilian forces. Notably, Al-Burhan has refused talks with the “Tagadum” coalition regarding ending the war and its aftermath. He has also repeated several times that the RSF leadership will not be reintegrated into power, and only individual fighters may join the army after surrendering weapons and entering designated cantonment sites.
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.”
He commended the unwavering Sudanese people who have joined the Popular Resistance forces across the country to “repel aggression and cleanse the land of Sudan from mercenaries and hired guns.”
The General pledged unwavering commitment, vowing 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.”
He emphasized ongoing public support for the army and praised the “martyrs of the Battle of Karama” who sacrificed themselves for the nation. Al-Burhan concluded by reaffirming his commitment to the “march to defend the homeland.”
After controlling Omdurman, the Sudanese army is currently fighting the RSF in Khartoum Bahri and Al-Jazirah State. Military leaders insist on the RSF’s complete expulsion and view negotiations solely as a means of securing their surrender.