Sudan’s army chief makes 1st appearance since clashes

KHARTOUM, Sudan

Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has arrived in Port Sudan from Atbara city in the River Nile province.

Burhan's visit came a few hours after he visited Omdurman city, marking his first appearance outside the army's general command in 130 days, following clashes with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April, daily Sudan Tribune reported Thursday.

Sudan's de facto leader will embark on a tour to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the daily reported citing sources close to the army.

Earlier on Thursday, the Sudanese army published videos of al-Burhan, who was carrying a weapon and inspecting soldiers in several military areas in Omdurman.

Al-Burhan's last appearance dates back to July 18 when he was seen carrying a machine gun, a pistol, and a hand grenade while chairing a military meeting at the army's command and control center in central Khartoum.

Since the beginning of the war between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on April 15, thousands of people have been killed, and more than 4 million have been displaced, especially in Khartoum and Darfur state.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat"