Sudan Army chief al-Burhan survives assassination attempt
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A statement by the army said the attack occurred during a graduation ceremony at the Gibet army base, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Port Sudan.
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Sudan's General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, answers questions during an interview, on September 22, 2022. (AP)
Sudanese army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan survived an assassination attempt on Tuesday after a drone strike targeted an eastern army base he was visiting, eyewitnesses told Reuters on Wednesday.
A statement by the army said the attack occurred during a graduation ceremony at the Gibet army base, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Port Sudan, the army’s de facto capital in Sudan’s Red Sea state. The attack resulted in the death of five people.
The drone attack is the latest in a series targeting army locations in recent months and is the closest to Port Sudan.
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That said, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have not claimed responsibility for any of these attacks and did not comment on yesterday’s incident.
The strike comes a day after the army-aligned foreign ministry conditionally accepted a US invitation for talks in Switzerland in August. In response, the RSF stated it would only negotiate with the army and not with the Islamists who constitute a significant part of the civil service.
According to the Sudan Tribune, the presidential guard team immediately evacuated Burhan to Port Sudan, the alternative administrative capital.
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