Sudan’s military leader, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, survived a drone attack during an army graduation ceremony in the country’s east, the military confirmed. The incident, which resulted in the death of five individuals, is the latest development in Sudan’s ongoing turmoil following the overthrow of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
The attack, carried out by two drones, occurred in the town of Gebeit after the ceremony had concluded. Despite the fatalities, Burhan emerged unscathed, as reported by Lt. Col. Hassan Ibrahim from the military spokesman’s office.
Videos shared by Al Araby TV captured the chaotic scene of the drone attack, showing people fleeing along a dusty road. Other footage depicted attendees at the graduation ceremony gazing up at the sky as the drones struck.
A video released by the Sudanese Armed Forces on Facebook showed individuals rallying around Burhan after the attack, expressing their support for him with cheers as he appeared to be in good spirits.
Sudan has been plagued by conflict involving the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for over a year, with ongoing battles in the capital, Khartoum. The military leadership predominantly operates in eastern Sudan near the Red Sea Coast.
Following the assassination attempt, RSF leader Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo had announced plans to participate in ceasefire discussions in Switzerland next month, organized by the United States and Saudi Arabia, although the RSF has not yet addressed the recent attack.
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry responded to the U.S.’ invitation for talks in Geneva, stating that the Sudanese government was willing to participate but insisted on implementing the Jeddah Declaration before engaging in negotiations, highlighting the need for commitment to the declaration’s objectives to achieve peace.
The RSF, originally established by former President Omar al-Bashir, is notorious for its involvement in the conflict in Darfur. Since the uprising in 2019, over 4.6 million individuals have been displaced, with more than 3.6 million internally displaced within Sudan and over a million seeking refuge in neighboring countries, including over 285,300 individuals fleeing to Egypt.
