Head of Egypt's Intelligence Pays Brief Visit to Khartoum

 Head of the transitional sovereign council, Lieutenant General Abdul-Fattah Al-Burhan met Tuesday head of the Egyptian intelligence, Major General Abbas Kamel in Khartoum (SUNA)
Head of the transitional sovereign council, Lieutenant General Abdul-Fattah Al-Burhan met Tuesday head of the Egyptian intelligence, Major General Abbas Kamel in Khartoum (SUNA)
TT

Head of Egypt's Intelligence Pays Brief Visit to Khartoum

 Head of the transitional sovereign council, Lieutenant General Abdul-Fattah Al-Burhan met Tuesday head of the Egyptian intelligence, Major General Abbas Kamel in Khartoum (SUNA)
Head of the transitional sovereign council, Lieutenant General Abdul-Fattah Al-Burhan met Tuesday head of the Egyptian intelligence, Major General Abbas Kamel in Khartoum (SUNA)

The Head of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamel, landed Tuesday in Khartoum on a brief one-day visit to discuss with Sudanese officials the latest developments of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Kamel transferred a verbal message from Egyptian President Abdul-Fattah al-Sisi to the Head of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Lieutenant General Abdul-Fattah al-Burhan on bilateral relations and ways to support and develop them and the enhancement of the common interests betwen the two countries.

Kamel also held talks with the First Deputy Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, on the developments concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and efforts made to overcome differences through dialogue.

For his part, Burhan expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Egyptian intelligence chief for the visit and conveyed his greetings to the Egyptian leadership.

Sudanese Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Yasser Abbas conveyed his country’s reservation over the Ethiopian unilateral move of filling the dam before reaching a binding agreement between the three countries, considering the move as a harmful and disturbing precedent in the path of cooperation between the concerned parties.

During talks held Monday on filling and operating the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam at the invitation of South Africa, the current Chairman of the African Union, Khartoum had asked for postponing the negotiations for another week to make consultations.

On Tuesday, Hamdok chaired the first meeting of the High Committee for the Follow up of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

The meeting went over Ethiopia's unilateral move of filling the dam, as well as its impact on Sudan and the track of negotiations in the future.



ISIS Flag Raised in Kirkuk Village

Iraqi security forces were surprised to find an ISIS flag raised at the gate of a school in a village in Kirkuk
Iraqi security forces were surprised to find an ISIS flag raised at the gate of a school in a village in Kirkuk
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ISIS Flag Raised in Kirkuk Village

Iraqi security forces were surprised to find an ISIS flag raised at the gate of a school in a village in Kirkuk
Iraqi security forces were surprised to find an ISIS flag raised at the gate of a school in a village in Kirkuk

Iraqi security forces on Friday encircled a village in Kirkuk province, located 250 kilometers north of Baghdad, after an ISIS flag was raised there.

The move comes amid statements from Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein about the resurgence of the terrorist group, which he said is reorganizing following the collapse of ISIS's Syrian stronghold.

In a phone conversation with UK Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamish Falconer, Hussein warned that ISIS is rebuilding its strength, having seized significant weaponry left behind by the Syrian military’s collapse. This has allowed the group to expand its control in the region.

Hussein also raised alarms about the potential fallout from ISIS members escaping prisons and the situation at the Al-Hol camp, which holds the families of ISIS fighters in northeastern Syria, warning it could destabilize security in both Syria and Iraq.

He stressed the need for a political process in Syria that includes all components of society, and highlighted the importance of sustained international aid to the Syrian people.

Falconer expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the Aqaba meetings, which included British participation, emphasizing the need for continued dialogue to monitor developments in Syria.

He also voiced concerns over the potential for armed clashes between ISIS remnants and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), stressing that Syria cannot afford more internal conflict.

ISIS Flag in Kirkuk

Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said Baghdad has presented a plan for Syria following the recent shifts in the region and remains prepared for all possibilities. On Friday, Iraqi security forces were surprised to find an ISIS flag raised at the gate of a school in a village in Kirkuk. The village, located in the Daqouq district south of Kirkuk, is believed to harbor ISIS remnants.

An Iraqi security source confirmed that the forces had surrounded the village of Khalid in Daqouq and launched a search operation for the perpetrators. Last week, a similar incident occurred in the Hawija district of Kirkuk.

Iraqi-Jordanian Coordination

Sudani also reiterated Iraq’s commitment to Syria’s territorial integrity and expressed readiness to support a comprehensive political process in the country without intervening in its internal affairs. In an interview with Iraqiya TV, Sudani stated that Iraq is concerned about the situation in Syria, particularly regarding the presence of armed groups and ISIS elements. He confirmed that joint operations with Jordan and the US-led coalition have already begun.

The Prime Minister called on Syria’s new leadership to ensure respect for the country’s diverse components and avoid excluding any group. He emphasized that Iraq, as a key member of the anti-ISIS coalition, remains committed to confronting any terrorist threat at its borders.

Sudani assured that Iraq faces no external threats or demands and is pursuing responsible dialogue based on mutual respect, shared interests, and securing its borders, which are now better fortified than ever.

The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria has raised concerns over the fate of approximately 50,000 former ISIS fighters detained in camps in northern Syria. With the region in chaos, there are growing fears of these detention centers being breached, potentially paving the way for the group’s resurgence.