Sudanese military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Wednesday, surviving a drone strike at an army base in Gebit, located in Sudan’s eastern Red Sea state. According to multiple reports, the attack occurred during a graduation ceremony, leaving five people dead and several others injured.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) issued a statement confirming the incident and attributing the drone strike to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with whom they have been locked in a bitter conflict for control of the country over the past 16 months. The SAF’s spokesperson, Nabil Abdallah, specifically blamed the RSF, although the group has not claimed responsibility.
Sudanese leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan survived an assassination attempt today with an FPV drone while inspecting a military cadet parade. The attack resulted in five deaths and several injuries. pic.twitter.com/n2nU5xou5d
— Edward (@DonKlericuzio) July 31, 2024
The attack took place approximately 100 kilometers from Port Sudan, the de facto capital for the military. The strike is the first attributed to the RSF in the Red Sea state since the civil war erupted in April 2023. Previous drone attacks have targeted army positions in other regions, notably the states of Khartoum and White Nile.
Eyewitnesses and local media reported that General Burhan, who was present at the ceremony, was unharmed and promptly evacuated to Port Sudan. In a defiant speech following the attack, he vowed to continue the fight against the RSF, rejecting any prospects of negotiation. “We will not retreat, we will not surrender, and we will not negotiate,” Burhan declared, as reported by AFP.
The timing of the attack is particularly significant, occurring just one day after Sudan’s Foreign Ministry expressed conditional acceptance of a US invitation to participate in cease-fire talks scheduled for mid-August in Switzerland. The RSF, while agreeing to attend these talks, has insisted on negotiating directly with the army rather than other factions within the Sudanese government.
The ongoing conflict has precipitated a severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Over 40,000 people have been killed, and more than 10 million have been displaced, creating what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst displacement crisis. Previous attempts at mediation, including US and Saudi-brokered talks in Jeddah, have failed, with both sides accusing each other of not adhering to agreed terms.
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