NCP leader returns to Port Sudan

KHARTOUM – The head of the dissolved National Congress Party (NCP), Ibrahim Mahmoud, has returned to Sudan after years in exile, praising the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for recent battlefield gains against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Mahmoud, a former interior minister during the Islamist era of Omar al-Bashir, replaced former foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour as head of the Islamist group in 2020. The NCP was banned by the Transitional Sovereign Council following the military takeover in November 2019.

Speaking to supporters in Port Sudan on Tuesday, Mahmoud delivered a fiery speech hailing recent SAF victories and calling for national unity. He celebrated the military’s success in reclaiming key areas, including Jebel Moya, and emphasized the need for citizens to unite in the face of challenges.

“Victory comes from God. Our forces have been steadfast, and with thousands of martyrs and injured, the people of Sudan have stood by their army in this race for survival,” he said, praising the SAF’s efforts and the sacrifices made by soldiers and civilians alike.

The NCP leader, referencing historical Islamic victories and the resilience of nations like Afghanistan, declared that Sudan, despite the ongoing war, will rise again. He criticized the RSF for committing atrocities, including looting, mass killings, and targeting civilians, especially in conflict areas like El Geneina.

“The armed forces have prevailed; they are victorious: one army, one people. Then the second victory after the race is, as they say, to expose the ugly face of the enemy. This battle has also revealed the ugly face of those who have abused women, looted money, occupied citizens’ homes, and committed genocide in El Geneina. This has shown the ugly face of the enemy, and this is also a victory; thus, these armed forces are victorious,” he said.

He also highlighted the importance of national unity, drawing on Sudan’s long history of diverse communities coexisting peacefully. “The first victory is our army’s success, but the second victory will come when all Sudanese people unite,” he urged.

Addressing the Sudanese people, he stressed that the country’s future lies in national solidarity, pointing out that other nations devastated by war, such as Japan and Germany, were able to rebuild and prosper.

“We salute their leader, General Burhan, and their officers and soldiers, and especially the sons of Sudan who have mobilized from the joint forces. Now you hear the victories in El Geneina, northern El Geneina, and Musalat, and yesterday in Jebel Moya where the forces consolidated,” he said.

“Our first concern is for the people of Sudan through you, from the land of steadfastness and victories. We are one people. We are not betraying Sudan; we are steadfast. I am truly happy because, first and foremost, Allah has honored us with Islam. No other nation has this. Look at Afghanistan; it is a small country with the Taliban, and they have nothing but defeated many countries, including 35 others and America. We, too, will achieve great development if we unite and work for the betterment of Sudan,” he concluded.

However, Mahmoud’s return has faced backlash. RSF commander’s advisor, Basha Tabiq, described his appearance as an attempt to find grounds in Sudan for the dissolved party and alleged that an ongoing disagreement between the leaders of the group was based on tribes.

“The return of Ibrahim Mahmoud, the head of the dissolved National Congress Party, to Port Sudan and his appearance on the scene is an attempt to find a role for the National Congress Party after the Islamic Movement has taken control of the military scene under the leadership of Ali Karti,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“There is a deep division within the leadership of the National Congress Party, led by Ibrahim Mahmoud, who represents Dr. Nafi’s wing, and Ali Karti, who represents Ali Osman Mohammed Taha’s wing. This is the current faction that ignited the war on April 15, 2023. All these competing factions are characterized by tribal affiliations. The Ibrahim Mahmoud faction accuses Ali Karti’s faction, which represents the Shawaiqah, of orchestrating the betrayal to overthrow Omar al-Bashir, as they took advantage of the December revolution to get rid of Omar al-Bashir and his group. They appear united, but their hearts are divided, and their strength against each other is fierce,” he added.

Khaled Omer Youssif, the deputy chair of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP) and senior member of the anti-war civilian group, Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces, also criticized Mahmoud’s return, saying the ongoing war is the product of the former regime.

“Tonight, Ibrahim Mahmoud, the head of the dissolved National Congress Party, arrived at Port Sudan Airport. On the same day, the speech by Lieutenant General Shams al-Din Kabbashi to his troops was attended by Ahmed Abbas, the head of the dissolved National Congress Party in Sennar State and its former governor during the reign of the ousted regime,” he said.

He accused the NCP of igniting the conflict and investing in its continuation.

“This war is the ousted regime’s attempt to return to power at the expense of the lives of the people and the destruction of the country. They are the ones who ignited its flames and are investing in its continuation, and now they are rushing to reap its rewards before the dust of battle settles,” he said.

“This is a truth that the trumpets of misleading media cannot hide. It is an absolute evil war from which no good can come, and no one who truly participated in the December Revolution can reconcile with it, legitimize its parties, or attempt to justify it in any way,” he added.