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Sudanese Army May Make Concessions to Avoid US Sanctions

The head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. (AFP)
The head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. (AFP)
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Sudanese Army May Make Concessions to Avoid US Sanctions

The head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. (AFP)
The head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. (AFP)

Sources close to the European Union attributed the “anger” of the head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and his warning to diplomatic missions not to “incite against the army and interfere in the affairs of the country” to the increasing Western pressures demanding the return to the pre-coup situation.

A source close to the European Union told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday that the EU ambassadors, when meeting Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok last week, insisted on restoring the federal governance structures stipulated in the constitutional document, before engaging into any new negotiations between the parties to the transitional process.

The support to be provided to the country’s economy and political backing would depend on convincing confidence-building measures and the achievement of a true national consensus.

In a statement released after their meeting with Hamdok, the ambassadors underscored that the October 25 coup “effectively derailed the coalition of civilians and the military”.

They called for a “national consensus”, stressing it is crucial for democratic rule.

“These confidence-building measures include creating an inclusive national constitution-making process, implementing and extending the 2020 peace agreement, preparing for credible elections and continuing the economic reform agenda,” they stressed.

Western pressure on the Sudanese military authorities increased, with the Foreign Affairs Committee in the US House of Representatives imposing sanctions on “those responsible for destabilizing Sudan.”

In a statement to Reuters last week, Sudan’s Finance Minister Jibril Ibrahim said that his country was unable to access USD 650 million in international funding in November when assistance was paused after the coup - a freeze that puts in doubt basic import payments and the fate of economic reforms.

The imminent US sanctions are expected to exacerbate economic and political crises at a time when the military authority has no practical options, political analyst Jamil al-Fadel told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Fadel pointed to leaks that talk about the transition of the presidency to civilians and a review of the composition of the Sovereign Council. He referred to Burhan hinting for the first time about the possibility of stepping down, during a speech, in which he assured: “If Burhan leaves, the army is present.”

He added that Burhan was aware of the real dangers facing his rule.

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Arab World

Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
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Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)

The Houthi militia has recently released several individuals it had abducted for celebrating Yemen’s September Revolution. However, over the past few days, it has detained hundreds of residents in its stronghold of Saada, accusing them of espionage.

The campaign coincides with the airing of alleged confessions from a purported spy cell and the abduction of a former employee of the US Embassy in Yemen.

Local sources in Saada province, approximately 242 kilometers north of Sanaa, report that the Houthis have launched a widespread campaign of arrests targeting civilians. These individuals have been taken from their homes, workplaces, and businesses under allegations of collaborating with Western nations and Israel. Families of those detained have been warned to remain silent and refrain from discussing the arrests with the media or on social media platforms.

According to the sources, more than 300 individuals, including dozens of women, have been abducted across various districts in Saada. The arrests have also targeted relatives and associates of Othman Mujalli, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who hails from the region.

The sources suggest that the Houthis are detaining women as hostages to pressure their relatives, who may either be out of the militia’s reach or living outside Houthi-controlled areas. They also appear to be using the women to coerce confessions from male relatives. Last month, the Houthis accused Hamid Mujalli, Othman Mujalli’s brother, of engaging in espionage for Arab and Western nations for nearly two decades.

In a separate incident, the Houthis abducted a former employee of the US Embassy in Sanaa from his home on Monday without providing any explanation for their actions.

Release of Detainees

The Houthis recently released Sheikh Amin Rajeh, a tribal leader from Ibb province, after detaining him for four months. Several other individuals were also freed, none of whom had been formally charged during their detention. Rajeh, a member of the General People’s Congress Party, was one of many political activists, students, workers, and public employees abducted in September for celebrating Yemen’s September 26, 1962, revolution.

One of the released individuals, a shop owner, told Asharq Al-Awsat that he was unaware of the reason for his detention. He had been abducted in November, two months after the Houthis initiated a crackdown on those commemorating the revolution.

Alleged Spy Cell

Houthi-controlled media recently broadcast confessions from what they claimed was a newly uncovered spy cell. The group linked the cell to its broader narrative of “promised conquest and sacred jihad” against the West and Israel.

According to Houthi security officials, the alleged spy cell was working to compile a “target database,” monitor sites linked to missile forces and drones, and track specific military and security locations. They also claimed the cell had been observing the residences and movements of Houthi leaders.

In response, the Houthis issued warnings to residents, forbidding them from discussing or sharing information about militia-controlled sites, facilities, or the whereabouts of their leaders.

The Houthis’ actions reflect mounting concerns over potential strikes targeting their senior leadership, similar to the recent attacks on Hezbollah figures in Lebanon. Those fears come amid ongoing tensions with Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, following the Houthis’ assaults on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and missile attacks on Israel.