Sudan’s army chief embarked on his inaugural foreign trip to Egypt on Tuesday since the outbreak of war in April. The recent surge in violence has led to the tragic deaths of numerous civilians in conflict-stricken Darfur.
As Abdel Fattah al-Burhan set off, reports from medics and eyewitnesses revealed that 39 civilians, predominantly women and children, were killed due to shelling in Nyala, South Darfur state’s second-largest city. The escalation of clashes between the army and paramilitary forces has intensified tensions in the region.
The Sudanese general’s purpose was to engage in discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a significant ally, regarding the developments in war-torn Sudan and bilateral relations. The Sudanese Sovereign Council, responsible for governance, shared this information.
In a departure from his usual military attire, Burhan was spotted in civilian clothes as he boarded a plane in Port Sudan. Video footage released by the council depicted his arrival at El Alamein airport, where he was greeted by President Sisi.
The conflict, pitting Burhan against his former deputy turned rival, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who leads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has been ongoing since April 15. Its impact has spread from Khartoum and Darfur to Kordofan and Jazira state, causing significant loss of life and prompting millions to flee their homes.
After months of being besieged within military headquarters in Khartoum by the RSF, Burhan ventured out last week to inspect troops in various parts of the war-affected nation.
“We are mobilising everywhere to defeat this rebellion, defeat this treason, by these mercenaries who come from all over the world,” Burhan told cheering troops.
“There is no time for discussion now. We are concentrating all our efforts on the war, to put an end to the rebellion,” he said.
His comments came a day after Daglo released a statement detailing a 10-point “vision” to end the war and build “a new state”.
The plan calls for “civilian rule based on democratic norms” and “a single, professional, national military institution” — the very sticking point which turned the former allies into rivals.
At least 39 civilians were killed during fighting in Nyala on Tuesday when shelling struck their homes, according to witnesses and a medical source.
“The entire members of five families were killed in a single day,” said Gouja Ahmed, a human rights activist originally from Nyala.