Sudan's Burhan Says Army Will Only Hand Over Power to Elected Gov’t

Head of Sudan’s Sovereign Transitional Council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (AFP)
Head of Sudan’s Sovereign Transitional Council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (AFP)
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Sudan's Burhan Says Army Will Only Hand Over Power to Elected Gov’t

Head of Sudan’s Sovereign Transitional Council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (AFP)
Head of Sudan’s Sovereign Transitional Council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (AFP)

Head of Sudan’s Sovereign Transitional Council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said in controversial statements from Darfur that the army will only hand over power to an elected civilian government or if a national consensus is reached.

His remarks were made on Wednesday while presiding over a meeting of the Permanent Ceasefire Committee of the Juba Peace Agreement in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.

Burhan considered completing the security arrangements necessary to avoid destabilizing acts and called on the joint force to protect citizens in Darfur and deter outlaws.

Burhan underscored the importance of directing arms to protect the borders and ensure the safe return of refugees and displaced people to their villages, in light of the regional turmoil.

Upon his arrival in Khartoum, Burhan met with the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for Sudan and head of the UN Integrated Transitional Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) Volker Perthes.

The meeting touched on the current political situation in Sudan, as well as the security situation in the Darfur region, Volcker said in a press statement.

Discussions also tackled the UN-facilitated ongoing political consultation process to reach consensus and end the crisis.

The UN envoy stressed the need to provide a suitable environment to make the ongoing political consultations process successful by ending the violence that accompanies the demonstrations.



Syria Says Has Taken Control of All Bases Previously Operated by US Forces

A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).
A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).
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Syria Says Has Taken Control of All Bases Previously Operated by US Forces

A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).
A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).

Syria on Thursday said it had taken control of all military bases previously hosting US forces, who had long been in the country leading an international coalition against the ISIS group.

The foreign ministry in a statement said it "welcomes the completed handover of military sites where United States forces were previously present in Syria to the Syrian government".

It added that "the handover of these sites was carried out... in full coordination between the Syrian and American governments".


Lebanon President Refused 'Direct Call' with Israel PM

(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)
(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)
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Lebanon President Refused 'Direct Call' with Israel PM

(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)
(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun rejected a US request for a direct phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, an official source told AFP.

"The Lebanese president refused a direct call with Netanyahu and informed (US Secretary of State) Marco Rubio of this," adding that "the American side was understanding", the source said.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the "leaders" of the two countries would speak the following day.

Also, three Lebanese officials affirmed to Reuters that Aoun will not hold a call with Netanyahu in the near future.

Two of the Lebanese officials said that the Lebanese embassy in Washington had informed the US administration before a call between Aoun and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday that Aoun would not speak to Netanyahu.

 

 

 


Lebanon President Thanks Rubio During Phone Call for US Efforts to Reach Ceasefire

FILED - 16 February 2026, Lebanon, Beirut: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a joint press conference with German President Steinmeier (not pictured) at the presidential palace. Photo: Markus Lenhardt/dpa
FILED - 16 February 2026, Lebanon, Beirut: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a joint press conference with German President Steinmeier (not pictured) at the presidential palace. Photo: Markus Lenhardt/dpa
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Lebanon President Thanks Rubio During Phone Call for US Efforts to Reach Ceasefire

FILED - 16 February 2026, Lebanon, Beirut: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a joint press conference with German President Steinmeier (not pictured) at the presidential palace. Photo: Markus Lenhardt/dpa
FILED - 16 February 2026, Lebanon, Beirut: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a joint press conference with German President Steinmeier (not pictured) at the presidential palace. Photo: Markus Lenhardt/dpa

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for Washington's efforts to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon.

Aoun received a telephone call from Rubio and "thanked him for the efforts Washington has been making to reach a ceasefire", a statement from the Lebanese president's office said.

It did not mention any possible call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after US President Donald Trump said the Lebanese and Israeli "leaders" would speak on Thursday, with an Israeli minister saying Netanyahu and Aoun would talk.