Sudan's Al-Burhan urges troops to back democratic transition

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Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan on Sunday called on troops to "end" support for authoritarian leaders as talks begin on military reforms, as part of a prolonged transition to civilian rule.

Al-Burhan, the chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, seized power in a 2021 coup that disturbed a short-lived civilian rule following the 2019 ouster of General Omar Al-Bashir.

"During our history, the armed forces have supported dictatorial governments, and we want to put an end to that," Al-Burhan, a soldier during Bashir's three-decade rule, said in a speech to soldiers.

Reform of the security forces is a key point of tension in discussions on a two-phase political process launched in December, anticipating generals' exit from politics once a civilian government is installed.

Al-Burhan said on Sunday that the country's army would be brought under the leadership of a new civilian government, restating pledges that it would withdraw from politics.

"The process of security and military reform is a long and complicated process and one that cannot be bypassed," he said.

The two sides are expected to formally adopt a deal on April 6 and launch a new civilian government on April 11.

Critics have decried the deal -- agreed by Burhan with multiple factions including a key civilian bloc -- as "vague".

The proposed reforms include the integration of the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Al-Burhan's deputy Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, into the regular army.

While experts have pointed to worrying rivalries between Al-Burhan and Dagalo, the two men took turns speaking on Sunday in the capital Khartoum, pleading for successful integration.

Dagalo said he wanted "a unified army," while Al-Burhan called for "a professional army that stays away from politics."

The December deal came after near-weekly protests since Al-Burhan's October 2021 takeover, which had also triggered international aid cuts, adding to the deepening political and economic troubles in one of the world's poorest countries.

Dagalo said earlier this month that he was against "anyone who wants to become a dictator" and that he opposed those "clinging on to power."

He considered that the latest coup had "failed" because it had not brought change but rather the return of the "old regime" of Al-Bashir loyalists.

Last week, Al-Burhan said the country's authorities are attempting to establish a civilian government and avoid the country falling into "authoritarian control".

"The country's leadership is striving to establish a civilian rule that relies on the support of the armed forces and people [...] and to prevent the establishment of authoritarian rule in the future," the Sudanese army chief was quoted as saying.

He also claimed that the country's military will support the Sudanese people and will always be on their side, noting that the army was "part of them and is the backbone for the state and people."

A couple of weeks ago, Daglo met with the non-signatory parties to the framework agreement inked last year. During the meeting, the Transitional Sovereignty Council reported that the non-signatory parties affirmed their desire to negotiate a political compromise to end the country's crisis.

Sudan's civic leaders and armed forces signed a framework agreement on December 5, 2022, to resolve the prolonged crisis, establishing a transitional civil administration. And on January 8, a political dialogue based on the framework agreement was launched.

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