Al-Burhan visits Egypt on first foreign trip since Sudan conflict began

Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has travelled to Egypt on his first foreign visit since fighting broke out between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April. 

In the coastal city of El Alamein, Al-Burhan met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has been acting as a mediator between the Sudanese army and the FAR since the beginning of the conflict. Of particular importance to Egypt is stability in its southern neighbour, with which it shares a long border of more than 1,200 kilometres.

The fighting in Sudan has also had an impact on Egypt, as more than 250,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in Egypt since the fighting began, fleeing the violence. For this reason, Al-Sisi has led and organised meetings with other regional actors to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

At the meeting in El Alamein, the two leaders discussed Cairo's plans to mediate the clashes, an initiative that Al-Burhan "welcomed", the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

In Egypt, the Sudanese leader also called on the international community to take an "objective and correct view" of the situation in Sudan. "We call on the world to take an objective and correct view of this war. This war was started by a group that wanted to seize power and in the process has committed every crime it could think of," he said, according to Reuters. 

The FAR, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo - a former ally of Al-Burhan - has been accused of looting, rape and ethnic cleansing in West Darfur, crimes the militia denies. The FAR, as well as the Sudanese army, have also been accused of fighting in residential areas using heavy weapons, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians in several cities in the country, such as the capital, Khartoum, and Nyala, capital of the South Darfur region.

In the midst of this spiral of violence, the city of Port Sudan, on the shores of the Red Sea, is the only place in the country where there is a modicum of calm. For this reason, state officials and staff of the UN and other international organisations have moved into the town. Port Sudan airport is also the only airport currently operating in the country. 

Al-Burhan also assured that the Sudanese army "is committed to establishing a real transitional period, after which the Sudanese people can establish their state and elect their ruler". "We have no ambitions for power," added the military leader, who stressed that his goal was to hold "free and fair" elections.

For his part, Al-Sisi reiterated Egypt's willingness to support Sudan, stressing his support for "its security, stability, unity, and territorial integrity". "Al-Sisi affirmed that Egypt holds its historical ties and deep relations with Sudan in high esteem," a presidential spokesman said. Al-Sisi and Al-Burhan also discussed bilateral cooperation to help Sudanese citizens, especially through humanitarian aid.

Al-Burhan's trip to Egypt comes after several months of clashes and multiple diplomatic efforts to end the violence in the country. To this end, a series of ceasefires brokered by Saudi Arabia and the US have been agreed, although they have been systematically violated. In this regard, the Sudanese leader is also scheduled to visit the Saudi Kingdom to address the situation in his country. 

Earlier this week and before his trip, Al-Burhan assured that the army would defeat the FAR and would never sign an agreement with them, escalating tensions and dashing hopes of dialogue to end a war that has plunged Sudan into a new humanitarian crisis.