Al-Burhan survives assassination attempt

PORT SUDAN – Sudan’s army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan narrowly escaped an assassination attempt when two drones targeted a military graduation ceremony in the Red Sea state on Wednesday, the army said.

The attack killed five people and wounded several others, according to a military statement. Al-Burhan was attending the ceremony at the time.

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks on military installations and comes as the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group prepare for U.S.-brokered talks in Switzerland next month.

The RSF denied involvement in the attack.

Following the attack, al-Burhan set new conditions for negotiations with the RSF, including recognition of the government and the inclusion of pro-army armed groups in the talks. He also warned the UN envoy against adopting the RSF’s “vision” of the conflict.

The drone attack has raised questions about whether it was carried out by the RSF, a third party, or by internal factions within the government. Al-Burhan expressed determination to continue the fight against the RSF.

“We have no objection and say to anyone who wants peace: welcome. We all want peace, and we want the war to stop today before tomorrow, but only with our heads held high and victorious,” he said.

“But with the enemy in people’s homes, killing them, besieging El Fasher, Babanusa, and villages in the Gezira, the war will not stop. Those who want to end the war must expel them from Al-Geneina, Gezira, around El Fasher, and people’s homes,” he added.

He also issued a warning to the UN Secretary-General’s envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, saying, “We tell Lamamra, if you want to walk the right path, do not adopt any vision of the rebels. Come to us to understand before presenting any initiative, and even the countries wanting to offer initiatives should come to us.”

A military expert suggested a third party might be involved in the assassination attempt.

“If the RSF is behind the operation, it means they have modern drones that can travel long distances and hit targets accurately, or they have well-trained sleeper cells capable of reaching the army commander himself,” the expert said.

Professor Abdel Nasser Ali al-Faki attributed the incident to internal conflicts within al-Burhan’s camp.

“Within the war camp, conflicts are intensifying, and positions between the Foreign Ministry and the army are conflicting,” he said.

Journalist Othman Fadl raised questions about the security breach that allowed the attack to happen, suggesting possible complicity within the circles protecting the army chief.

“The army statement spoke of intercepting the drones, but videos show the opposite, with no sounds of ground defenses, reinforcing the theory of neglect or conspiracy,” Fadl said.