Former Sudan official denies authenticity of leaked video criticizing army chief
March 16, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Osman Mohamed Yousuf Kibir, former vice-president and the head of the Shura Council of Sudan’s dissolved National Congress Party, on Monday denied the authenticity of a leaked video in which he appeared to criticize the country’s military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
The video, broadcast on Sunday by UAE-based Sky News Arabia, showed Kibir in an informal setting claiming that Islamists had urged Burhan to “crush” protesters in 2019 and hand power to them. In the footage, Kibir described Burhan’s role at the time as marginal, comparing him to a “guard outside the door.”
In a statement released early Monday, Kibir dismissed the report as “fabricated” and “full of lies.” He accused the news channel of promoting a specific narrative to support recent U.S. sanctions against Sudanese Islamist groups and to bolster claims that the movement is directing the current government from behind the scenes.
On March 9, the United States designated the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood, including its armed wing, the Al-Baraa bin Malik Brigade, as a global terrorist entity.
Kibir, who served as vice president and governor of North Darfur under ousted President Omar al-Bashir, stated that he has been either in detention or living as a refugee since April 2019. He maintained that he holds no executive or legislative leadership role within the Islamist movement.
The leaked video also featured Kibir claiming that Burhan had previously apologized to Islamists for public criticism, citing pressure from Washington. Kibir asserted in the clip that the military leader’s authority was “temporary” and that he would be unable to take action against the movement.
Burhan took charge of the military council in April 2019 following Bashir’s removal. His leadership has since been defined by the violent dispersal of protesters at the army headquarters in Khartoum and the 2021 military coup that removed the civilian-led transitional government.