Sudan’s top general lands in Qatar as part of regional tour

The months-long conflict in Sudan has devastated Khartoum and other major cities around the country, leading to an estimated death toll of 4,000 people.

Sudan’s top general, Abdel Fattah Al Burhan landed in Doha on Thursday as part of a multi-country tour, marking his first trip to the Gulf region since the war broke out between the military and the Rapid Support Forces in April.

The chairman of the ruling Sovereign Council was welcomed by Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi as well as other top officials, Qatar News Agency reported.

On Tuesday, Qatar’s foreign ministry confirmed the trip, stating “Burhan is on a tour to a number of countries and Qatar is among his destinations.”

The top Sudanese official’s visit to Doha would mark his first trip to the Gulf region since the war erupted out. The months-long conflict has devastated Khartoum and other major cities around the country, leading to an estimated death toll of 4,000 people and displacing 4.8 million people. Nearly five months on, the war has reduced Khartoum to a ghost town.

In recent weeks, Sudanese parties and officials have scrambled for an end to the war after more than 10 ceasefire attempts failed to temporarily halt the fighting.

While Qatar has contributed with various humanitarian initiatives since the beginning of the war, Dr. Al Ansari said he was unaware of any mediation requests.

“Qatari-Sudanese relations have always been characterised by continuous communication, and visits of this kind are not surprising,” Dr. Al Ansari told the press, renewing Doha’s support for a ceasefire in Khartoum.

Last month, Burhan travelled to Egypt to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on his first foreign trip since the war broke out. Discussions at the time were centred on developments on the ground in Sudan.