Sudan’s Burhan Calls for Dissolving Hamdok Gov’t

Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (right) and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok (left), AFP
Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (right) and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok (left), AFP
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Sudan’s Burhan Calls for Dissolving Hamdok Gov’t

Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (right) and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok (left), AFP
Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (right) and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok (left), AFP

Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has waged a new escalatory campaign against civilians in the political partnership ruling the North African state through its transition period.

Burhan rejected the idea of continuing cooperation with civilians under what he labeled as the “old” partnership framework. Openly calling for dissolving the government headed by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, Burhan underlined the need for assembling a new cabinet that enjoys broad participation and ensures resolving the current political deadlock and overcoming the legislative crisis in the country.

After a few days of relative calm between civil and military ruling authorities in Sudan, aggressive tones returned to the scene as the military disregarded Hamdok’s efforts to get the country out of the impasse it had been experiencing since the failed coup attempt last month.

The foiled insurgency had resulted in an “undeclared freeze” of mechanisms in the partnership between the two ruling authorities.

According to Asharq news channel, Burhan told soldiers at Khartoum’s Bahri Military District that any political solution for Sudan needs to first start with “dissolving the current government and expanding the overall political base of the parties participating in the transition government.”

Burhan also called for the formation of a legislative council that represents all the people, “except for the National Congress,” which was the ruling party under the former regime of Omar al-Bashir.

Speaking on Monday, in front of officers and soldiers and in the presence of a number of army commanders, Burhan said that the armed forces would protect the transitional period until free and fair elections are reached in which the Sudanese people choose who governs them.

Sudan has been experiencing a political crisis between the civilian and military partners of the transitional phase. This crisis was triggered by a failed coup attempt organized by officers in the armed forces on September 21.



Israel Attacks Yemeni Ports, Warns That Houthi Leader Is a Target

Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)
Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)
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Israel Attacks Yemeni Ports, Warns That Houthi Leader Is a Target

Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)
Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)

Israel struck Yemen's Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Salif on Friday, continuing its campaign to degrade Houthi military capabilities and warning that the group's top leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, could be targeted if attacks on Israel persist.

The Houthis have continued to fire missiles at Israel in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, although they have agreed to halt attacks on US ships.

Israel has carried out retaliatory strikes in response, including one on May 6 that damaged Yemen's main airport in Sanaa and killed several people.

On Friday, the Israeli military said the ports of Hodeidah and Salif were being used to transfer weapons, reiterating its warnings to residents of those areas to evacuate.

Residents in Hodeidah said they heard four loud booms and saw smoke rising from the port following the Israeli strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement they would hunt down the Houthis' top leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi.

"If the Houthis continue to fire missiles at the State of Israel, they will be severely harmed, and we will also hurt the leaders," they said, adding that al-Houthi could join the list of militant figures killed by Israel, such as Hamas' Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah.

The Houthis are part of Iran's so-called "Axis of Resistance" against Israeli and US interests in the Middle East, alongside Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Houthis have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks toward Israel, most of which have been intercepted or landed short.