Abdel Fattah al-Burhan

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
Name	Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
Caption	Al-Burhan in 2023
Birth date	1960
Birth place	Qandato, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Allegiance	Sudan
Branch	Sudanese Armed Forces
Serviceyears	1980s–present
Rank	General
Commands	Sudanese Armed Forces, Rapid Support Forces (formerly)
Battles	Second Sudanese Civil War, War in Darfur, 2023 Sudan conflict
Office	Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council
Termstart	21 August 2019
Predecessor	Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf (as Chairman of the Transitional Military Council)

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan is a Sudanese military officer who has served as the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and commander-in-chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces since August 2019. His rise to power followed the 2019 Sudanese revolution and the ouster of longtime president Omar al-Bashir, but his leadership has been defined by military rule, a 2021 coup, and a devastating war against the Rapid Support Forces beginning in 2023. Al-Burhan's tenure has been marked by intense international diplomacy, severe humanitarian crises, and the fragmentation of Sudan's political landscape.

Early life and military career

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was born in 1960 in the village of Qandato in northern Sudan, then part of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. He joined the Sudanese Armed Forces and graduated from the Sudan Military College, embarking on a career that saw steady advancement through the ranks. His early postings included roles in the army's infantry and armored corps. During the Second Sudanese Civil War, he served in southern Sudan, and later held command positions in the restive Darfur region amid the War in Darfur. His career was closely tied to the regime of Omar al-Bashir, under whom he served as military attaché in China and later as head of the Sudanese Army Ground Forces. A significant step was his appointment as inspector general of the Sudanese Armed Forces, a role that placed him in the senior military hierarchy.

Role in the 2019 Sudanese revolution

As protests during the 2019 Sudanese revolution intensified against Omar al-Bashir, al-Burhan was a senior figure within the military establishment. Following the overthrow of al-Bashir in April 2019, a Transitional Military Council (TMC) was formed, initially led by Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf. After Ibn Auf's rapid resignation amid continued protests, al-Burhan was appointed chairman of the TMC in April 2019. In this role, he oversaw a tense and often violent period, including the Khartoum massacre dispersal of the sit-in outside the military headquarters. Under immense pressure from the Forces of Freedom and Change alliance and international actors, he eventually negotiated the power-sharing Political Agreement and Constitutional Declaration that established a joint civilian-military Transitional Sovereignty Council.

Chairman of the Sovereignty Council and 2021 coup

As Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council from August 2019, al-Burhan nominally shared power with civilian Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. However, tensions between the military component, including the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), and the civilian cabinet persisted. On 25 October 2021, al-Burhan led a military coup, declaring a state of emergency, dissolving the cabinet, and arresting Abdalla Hamdok and other civilian leaders. This move was condemned by the United States, the European Union, and the African Union, which suspended Sudan's membership. Al-Burhan defended the coup as necessary to correct the course of the transition, effectively consolidating power within the Sudanese Armed Forces and sidelining the Forces of Freedom and Change.

Leadership during the 2023 Sudan conflict

Long-simmering tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted into open warfare on 15 April 2023, triggering the 2023 Sudan conflict. As commander-in-chief, al-Burhan has led the army's campaign against the Rapid Support Forces commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The fighting, centered in Khartoum and spreading to regions like Darfur and Kordofan, has caused a catastrophic humanitarian disaster. Al-Burhan's government has relocated to Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast, while the Rapid Support Forces control much of the capital. He has rejected negotiations with the Rapid Support Forces, labeling them rebels, and has sought international military support while overseeing a war effort that has drawn accusations of atrocities from organizations like Human Rights Watch.

International relations and diplomacy

Al-Burhan's international engagements have been dominated by the search for legitimacy and military support amid the ongoing war. He has maintained relations with neighboring Egypt and historical ally Saudi Arabia, participating in talks in Jeddah aimed at securing ceasefires. His government has also cultivated closer ties with Iran, receiving military drones, and has historical links with Russia, where discussions about a Red Sea naval base have occurred. Conversely, his relations with Western powers like the United States and the United Kingdom have been strained due to the coup and the war. He has engaged with regional bodies like the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Arab League, though peace efforts led by the United Nations and the African Union have largely stalled.

Personal life and public image

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is known for a low-key and austere personal style, often contrasting with the flamboyance of his rival Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. He is a career soldier with deep roots in the Sudanese Armed Forces institution. His public image is that of a staunch nationalist and institutionalist, portraying himself as the guardian of the Sudanese state against what he terms terrorist militias like the Rapid Support Forces. However, critics and pro-democracy activists, such as those from the Resistance Committees, view him as an authoritarian figure who derailed Sudan's democratic transition and plunged the country into war. His leadership is polarizing, supported by elements of the old al-Bashir regime and the army's traditional base, but vehemently opposed by civilian groups and populations suffering under the conflict.

Category:1960 births Category:Sudanese generals Category:Heads of state of Sudan Category:Sudanese military personnel Category:Living people