Sudan’s Opposition Guarded on Army Pledge to Leave Talks to Civilians

Sudan's President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, attends the 39th Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) extraordinary summit in Nairobi, Kenya, 05 July 2022. (EPA)
Sudan's President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, attends the 39th Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) extraordinary summit in Nairobi, Kenya, 05 July 2022. (EPA)
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Sudan’s Opposition Guarded on Army Pledge to Leave Talks to Civilians

Sudan's President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, attends the 39th Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) extraordinary summit in Nairobi, Kenya, 05 July 2022. (EPA)
Sudan's President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, attends the 39th Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) extraordinary summit in Nairobi, Kenya, 05 July 2022. (EPA)

Sudanese political parties sidelined by a coup last October gave a guarded response on Tuesday to the army's pledge to step aside from a dialogue initiative and let civilian groups hold talks to form a government.

The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition said a speech on Monday by army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan failed to spell out how the military would withdraw from politics, as demanded by the civilian opposition.

Burhan's decisions "are a clear maneuver and tactical retreat that appear to accept the principle of the army returning to the barracks, while emptying this principle of any content", a statement from the FFC said.

Last year's military takeover ended a power-sharing arrangement between the military and civilian groups agreed following the 2019 overthrow of long-time leader Omar al-Bashir.

It has led to more than eight months of mass street protests against the military, with most civilian groups refusing to negotiate with the army.

During the latest rallies, on Thursday, medics said nine people were killed by security forces, and protesters have since been holding sit-ins in the capital, Khartoum.

On Monday, Burhan said the military would not take part in internationally-backed dialogue efforts to break the stalemate, but leave civilian groups to negotiate to form a government.

The existing ruling council, which Burhan heads and which includes some civilian members, would then be dissolved, and a high military council would be formed, he said.

Khalid Omer Yousif, an FFC leader and senior cabinet member before the coup, said Burhan's speech was an attempt to absorb public pressure while maintaining military authority over the political process.

"Yesterday's speech did not address the essence of the crisis, which is the military coup last October," he told Reuters.

"We reject the speech of Burhan," said Bashir Suleiman, a 33-year-old protester at the sit-in in central Khartoum, who said the army would retain power through the high military council. "Our demand is for a fully civilian state."



Saudi Arabia: Regional Peace Starts with Recognizing State of Palestine

Manal Radwan and Anne-Claire Legendre attend the New York meeting (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Manal Radwan and Anne-Claire Legendre attend the New York meeting (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Saudi Arabia: Regional Peace Starts with Recognizing State of Palestine

Manal Radwan and Anne-Claire Legendre attend the New York meeting (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Manal Radwan and Anne-Claire Legendre attend the New York meeting (Asharq Al-Awsat).

Saudi Arabia called on the international community to treat the recognition of a Palestinian state not as a symbolic move but as a strategic necessity for achieving lasting regional peace and stability.
Speaking at a high-level preparatory meeting for the upcoming international conference on resolving the Palestinian issue, Saudi representative Manal Radwan emphasized that regional peace begins with the recognition of Palestine. The conference, jointly organized by Saudi Arabia and France, will be held at the United Nations in June.
Radwan noted that establishing a Palestinian state is essential to ending a conflict that has lasted nearly eight decades. “This is not just about ending a war, it’s about ending a long-standing struggle,” she said. “The time has come for irreversible and transformative change.”

She stressed the urgent need for concrete action, especially as Gaza continues to suffer under a deepening humanitarian crisis. “Civilians are bearing the brunt of a war that must end immediately,” she said, raising concerns about growing violence in the West Bank and the region-wide impact of continued instability.
Radwan emphasized that a fair resolution to the Palestinian issue is more than a legal or moral duty, it is the foundation for a new regional order based on coexistence and mutual recognition. “Recognition of a Palestinian state is the only way to replace despair with a political horizon grounded in rights and sovereignty,” she said.
She also welcomed reform efforts by Palestinian leaders, including institutional changes initiated by President Mahmoud Abbas and the new government led by Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, aimed at promoting transparency and economic recovery.
Radwan also introduced the Global Coalition to Implement the Two-State Solution, launched by Saudi Arabia to coordinate political, financial, and security support for the initiative. She urged the coalition to function as a mechanism for real implementation, not just consensus-building.
France, represented by Macron’s advisor Anne-Claire Legendre, echoed the urgency, warning that the two-state solution is more endangered than ever. “This conference must be a turning point, a shift from words to meaningful action,” she said.