Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, announced on Saturday that a transitional government would be established soon, coinciding with significant military advancements against rival paramilitaries in the capital, Khartoum, and other central areas of the country.
Burhan spoke from Port Sudan, which is currently the country’s de facto capital. He described the forthcoming administration either as a “caretaker government” or a “war government,” emphasizing that it would consist of “independent” experts.
He stated, “We are seeking to form a government in the coming period that will complete the tasks of transition.” Burhan outlined the primary goals of the new government as aiding in the completion of military objectives and eradicating the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from Sudan.
Additionally, Burhan indicated that this new government would establish the foundation for a more extensive political transition, moving toward eventual elections. He asserted that a constitutional document would be approved prior to the appointment of a prime minister, assuring that he would not “interfere in his tasks or duties.”
In a preceding cabinet reshuffle announced in November, Burhan replaced four ministers, including those overseeing foreign affairs and media.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a brutal conflict between Burhan and his former ally, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, the leader of the RSF. During his speech, Burhan dismissed any negotiations with the RSF unless its forces withdrew from Khartoum, West Kordofan in the south, and Darfur in the west, and relocated to “designated locations.”
In recent weeks, Sudan’s military has regained significant areas of Khartoum and its surroundings, which had been under RSF control for nearly two years. This ongoing conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, the displacement of over 12 million people, and has led to what the International Rescue Committee describes as “the biggest humanitarian crisis ever recorded.”
