Sudan Interior Minister Vows to Combat Insubordination among Police Forces

Sudanese police officers stand guard in Khartoum on April 10, 2010. (AFP)
Sudanese police officers stand guard in Khartoum on April 10, 2010. (AFP)
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Sudan Interior Minister Vows to Combat Insubordination among Police Forces

Sudanese police officers stand guard in Khartoum on April 10, 2010. (AFP)
Sudanese police officers stand guard in Khartoum on April 10, 2010. (AFP)

Sudan’s Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Izz-Eddin Al-Sheikh vowed to fight insubordination within the police after a group of officers protested against low wages and deteriorating living conditions.

During a general meeting arranged on Monday by Al-Sheikh and the director-general of the police forces in the capital’s Tahrir Square, some police officers were given an ultimatum of either resigning or continuing to serve.

“Any police officer who does not want to work must submit his resignation,” Al-Sheikh told them firmly.

“The country will not break down for any individual, especially since the police force has a glorious and extensive history,” the minister explained, adding that the force’s “march forward will not be set back for a single person.”

“Both the government and the Interior Ministry attach great importance to the police force and will announce pay raises for all personnel,” revealed Al-Sheikh.

He moved on to welcome unhappy officers regardless of their choices of either staying or leaving and called on the force to practice the highest levels of discipline, duty, and respect for the leadership and state.

At the meeting, attended by Khartoum Governor Ayman Nimr and a host of senior police officials, Al-Sheikh reaffirmed a commitment to provide officers with the means to live decently and that a salary increase was on the horizon.

However, the wage hike needs to take into consideration the economic conditions and challenges facing the country.

“Police forces are disciplined and will continue their duties despite the difficulties facing the country,” reaffirmed Al-Sheikh.

On Monday, Nimr held an emergency meeting in which he ordered paying a bonus to all officers on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha holiday, which will be observed in mid-July.

Police Forces Director General Lt.-Gen. Khaled Mahdi Ibrahim reiterated a keenness for preserving the rights of officers, such as “providing them with legal protection, so they can perform their duties in maintaining security and protecting the homeland.”



Trump's Syria Policy Dominates Opening of 'Astana 22' Talks

The foreign ministers of Türkiye, Russia and Iran meet in New York in September. (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
The foreign ministers of Türkiye, Russia and Iran meet in New York in September. (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
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Trump's Syria Policy Dominates Opening of 'Astana 22' Talks

The foreign ministers of Türkiye, Russia and Iran meet in New York in September. (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
The foreign ministers of Türkiye, Russia and Iran meet in New York in September. (Turkish Foreign Ministry)

The 22nd round of the Astana peace talks on Syria kicked off in Kazakhstan’s capital on Monday. The talks, held over two days, brought together Syria’s government, opposition and guarantor states Russia, Iran and Türkiye, with observers from Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and the UN.

The talks, initiated by Russia and supported by Türkiye and Iran, will focus on key issues such as the potential shifts in US policy toward Syria under President-elect Donald Trump, according to Russian presidential envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev.

The talks will also address regional tensions, including the spread of the Gaza conflict into Lebanon, ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Syria and concerns over the risk of the regional conflict expanding further.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov stressed the importance of meeting before the end of the year to set priorities for Syria and the region.

This comes after the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights revealed a “secret” Russian-Syrian agreement to limit the movement of Hezbollah, Iranian forces and Iranian-backed militias in Syria.

As well as the Syrian conflict, the talks will cover issues such as prisoner releases, missing persons, humanitarian conditions, international support for peace efforts, Syria’s reconstruction and the return of refugees.

The current round of talks will focus on the political and military situation around Syria.

Lavrentiev said Russia will do everything possible to prevent the Gaza conflict from spreading to Syria.

Potential changes in US policy toward Syria under Trump are a major topic for discussion among the ceasefire guarantors, he added. Russia will focus on concrete actions and proposals, rather than just statements, especially as expectations grow that Trump will follow through on his pledge to withdraw US troops from Syria.

This move could shift the balance of power and affect the actions of various parties. The withdrawal is a key demand for Russia, Iran and Türkiye, the three guarantor states of the Astana process.