Sudan, Chad Agree on Combating Extremism, Protecting the Displaced

Head of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby meet in N'Djamena on Sunday. (SUNA)
Head of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby meet in N'Djamena on Sunday. (SUNA)
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Sudan, Chad Agree on Combating Extremism, Protecting the Displaced

Head of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby meet in N'Djamena on Sunday. (SUNA)
Head of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby meet in N'Djamena on Sunday. (SUNA)

Head of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan held bilateral talks on Sunday with Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby in the capital of Chad, N'Djamena.

They discussed the updates in Libya and Central Africa.

Burhan was accompanied by acting Foreign Minister Ali al-Sadiq, chief of General Intelligence Ahmed Ibrahim Mufaddal, and head of the Military Intelligence Authority.

Following the one-day visit, a joint statement expressed Sudan and Chad’s concerns about the impact of instability in Libya on neighboring countries.

Burhan and Deby voiced concerns over the ongoing activity of terrorist groups in the Sahel region and their expansion in Africa.

They stressed the significance of enhancing the combat capabilities of the joint Chadian-Sudanese forces to confront the mounting security challenges along their borders.

This would be achieved through establishing direct and continuous ties between the parties concerned with security, defense, and the protection of refugees and displaced.

They further agreed on “exchanging information and intelligence between the security bodies of both countries” and on taking "firm and coordinated measures to contain the illegal migration and weapons smuggling”.

Moreover, Chad and Sudan agreed on holding the cross-border forum on security and development before the end of 2023 in Chadian city of Abeche.

Burhan and Deby agreed on “the activation of the joint force between Sudan, Chad, and Central Africa to combat insecurity on the three countries’ joint borders”.

They also agreed on assisting Libyan parties in reaching peace and coordinating with the relevant parties on the situation in Central Africa.

Burhan congratulated Deby on the success of the Chadian dialogue, which was followed by the formation of a government and transitional institutions.

He reiterated Sudan’s support for political stability and the outcomes of the national dialogue between Chadian parties.

Sudan and Chad signed in 2009 a security and military agreement in which a joint military force was formed along the borders of both countries.

Burhan’s visit to Chad came less than one month after deputy Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo revealed a plot to overthrow the regime in Central Africa that was plotted from Sudan.

He had accused at the time domestic and foreign parties of being behind the plot and announced the full closure of borders between both countries.



Confession in Hisham al-Hashimi Killing Sparks Outrage in Iraq

File photo shows an Iraqi man standing in front of a poster of researcher Hisham al-Hashimi, who was shot dead in Baghdad in July 2020 (AP)
File photo shows an Iraqi man standing in front of a poster of researcher Hisham al-Hashimi, who was shot dead in Baghdad in July 2020 (AP)
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Confession in Hisham al-Hashimi Killing Sparks Outrage in Iraq

File photo shows an Iraqi man standing in front of a poster of researcher Hisham al-Hashimi, who was shot dead in Baghdad in July 2020 (AP)
File photo shows an Iraqi man standing in front of a poster of researcher Hisham al-Hashimi, who was shot dead in Baghdad in July 2020 (AP)

A leaked video showing the confession of the man accused of killing prominent Iraqi researcher Hisham al-Hashimi has reignited public scrutiny of the 2020 assassination and raised fresh questions about those behind the killing and the judiciary's handling of the case.

The video, widely circulated among Iraqi users on X, shows Ahmed Hamdawi Owaid detailing his role in the drive-by shooting that claimed al-Hashimi’s life outside his home in Baghdad’s Zayouna district.

The clip sparked a torrent of commentary on social media, with many Iraqis criticizing both armed factions and the judiciary.

Speculation swirled over who leaked the interrogation footage, which appears to have come from a police officer, and what their motives were. Many believe the leak was a calculated move by opponents of both the judiciary and powerful militias, reflecting the deep divisions between Iraq’s ruling forces, armed groups, and judicial authorities.

In the video, Hamdawi names senior Kataib Hezbollah figure and current lawmaker Hussein Moanes as the one who ordered the hit, a revelation seen as a direct blow to the Iran-aligned militia. Moanes, also known by his alias Abu Ali al-Askari, recently lashed out at calls to disarm armed factions.

Al-Askari had operated anonymously on X for years before al-Hashimi revealed his identity weeks ahead of his assassination, linking him to Moanes, a move that some now view as a possible trigger for the killing.

While some outlets quoted Moanes denying involvement, the Sabereen News channel, which is affiliated with armed groups, said he has not issued any official response.

Judiciary Under Fire

The leak has placed Iraq’s judiciary under renewed scrutiny, particularly after it released Hamdawi in March 2024 for “lack of evidence” despite his recorded confession and detailed description of the crime.

Rather than addressing the inconsistencies surrounding Hamdawi’s release, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council issued a statement condemning the leak, calling it illegal and an attempt to mislead public opinion.

The council confirmed that Hamdawi had been detained under Order No. 29, which established a committee led by former intelligence officer Abu Ragheef during Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s tenure.

The statement added that Hamdawi gave different testimony before the judicial committee than what he said in the leaked video.

The Abu Ragheef committee had previously faced criticism from armed faction-aligned figures, and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ultimately disbanded it in 2022 after assuming office.

The judiciary noted that the leaked video was likely filmed by a police officer on the committee, and that its publication violated legal investigative procedures.

Calls for Justice Persist

It remains unclear whether the new evidence will lead to a retrial. Hamdawi was reinstated as a police officer after his acquittal, and a leaked document suggests he was included in the Interior Ministry’s annual promotions list.

Judicial sources say a retrial is unlikely given the political pressure on the courts and resistance from influential factions to reopening the case.

Al-Hashimi, an expert on extremist groups and a government advisor, was gunned down on July 6, 2020. Days later, Kadhimi announced the arrest of the suspects, including Hamdawi, whose initial confession was broadcast on state television.

Despite multiple court hearings beginning in September 2021, the judiciary postponed the verdict in six separate sessions before ultimately releasing him in late 2022. The delays fueled suspicions among activists and civil society groups that political pressure was exerted to secure Hamdawi’s release.

Five years on, al-Hashimi’s murder remains unsolved, and his killers have yet to face justice.