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Sudan Suspends Relations with IGAD Ahead of Kampala Summit  

Sudanese Sovereignty Council President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan meets with IGAD officials in Djibouti in November. (Sovereignty Council)
Sudanese Sovereignty Council President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan meets with IGAD officials in Djibouti in November. (Sovereignty Council)
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Sudan Suspends Relations with IGAD Ahead of Kampala Summit  

Sudanese Sovereignty Council President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan meets with IGAD officials in Djibouti in November. (Sovereignty Council)
Sudanese Sovereignty Council President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan meets with IGAD officials in Djibouti in November. (Sovereignty Council)

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that it is suspending its involvement with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) regarding the ongoing crisis in Sudan.

The move comes two days before a scheduled summit in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. IGAD had called for the summit to discuss developments in Sudan and Somalia.

The decision to freeze ties with the east African regional bloc is expected to deepen Sudan’s isolation in the region and increase tensions with regional and international institutions.

The Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group have been fighting for nine months in a brutal war that has displaced millions.

On Tuesday, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the decision came after IGAD added Sudan to the agenda of a meeting scheduled for Kampala on January 18 and invited the RSF’s leader, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo – known as Hemedti – to attend.

The ministry criticized the invitation extended to Hemedti as a “dangerous precedent” in IGAD’s history and a violation of Sudan’s sovereignty, viewing it as a significant breach of the bloc’s charters and the rules governing international and regional organizations.

The Sudanese Sovereignty Council stressed the importance of implementing decisions from the previous IGAD summit held in Djibouti in December.

Two days ago, there was an attempt to arrange a meeting between Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Hemedti.

However, Hemedti couldn't attend, citing “technical reasons,” and instead conducted a diplomatic tour in various African countries.

In other news, Rasha Awad, a spokesperson for the Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum), announced on Tuesday that al-Burhan has agreed to meet with Taqaddum, led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, without specifying when or where the meeting will take place.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.