Sudanese army leader vows to eliminate rebellion
September 2, 2023 (KASSALA) – Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the head of the Sovereign Council, and commander in chief of the Sudanese army has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to waging war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) until they are defeated completely.
Al-Burhan made these declarations during his visit to Kassala State on Saturday, underscoring that the military forces in Khartoum are resolved to eradicate the rebellion. He emphasized that both the army and the people stand united in this endeavour.
“The army and the people are aligned in their determination to overcome the rebellion, and we will not cease our efforts until we eradicate this malignancy. The unity between the people and the army is evident, and the rebel forces are on the decline; they are aware of this fact” he said in his address to a gathering of military personnel at the Sinkat base.
While inspecting the military forces in Kassala, al-Burhan strongly criticized the RSF, accusing them of engaging in reprehensible actions that have inflicted harm upon the Sudanese population. He was referring to acts such as murder, looting of homes and civilian vehicles, and the destruction of vital public services.
Several days ago, the paramilitary force released a position paper outlining their political vision for resolving the conflict in Sudan, but it received limited attention from the military leaders.
Al-Burhan highlighted that the ongoing conflict showed the necessity of maintaining a professional military and emphasized, “This underscores the importance of training institutes for the future.”
He also voiced his rejection of external directives while welcoming any support for Sudan’s reconstruction.
Meanwhile, in Khartoum State, the Sudanese army continued its heavy artillery bombardment of RSF positions in Bahri, eastern Nile, central, and eastern Omdurman. Fighting persisted in Omdurman, North Kordofan, and South Darfur.
The Sudanese army’s spokesperson accused the RSF of launching airstrikes on residential areas in Khartoum, El Obeid, and Nyala, resulting in civilian casualties.
In response, the Rapid Support Forces reported the deaths of numerous civilians and injuries to others due to army airstrikes on residential neighbourhoods in Omdurman and southern Khartoum.
Reopening border with Eritrea
During his visit to Kassala state in the eastern part of the country, Al-Burhan announced his directive to reopen the border with Eritrea.
“We highly value our relations with neighbouring nations, especially Eritrea and Ethiopia, and this is why we have decided to reopen our borders,” al-Burhan stated.
Tensions between Sudan and Eritrea have been simmering. Al-Burhan had previously rejected Eritrea’s offer to mediate between tribal factions in eastern Sudan. Additionally, Asmara had expressed concerns about the RSF’ efforts to recruit members from bordering tribes, fearing it could strengthen Eritrean opposition groups.
(ST)