Attempted assassination of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan

Attempted assassination of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan

Part of theSudanese civil war
Al-Burhan in 2019
Date	30 July 2024(2024-07-30)
Location	Jubayt,Red Sea State,Sudan
Type	Drone strike
Target	Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
Participants	Unknown
Deaths	5

On July 30, 2024, thede factoruler ofSudanand concurrent chairman of itsTransitional Sovereignty Counciland head of theSudanese Armed Forces(SAF), GeneralAbdel Fattah al-Burhanwas targeted in an assassination attempt using drones at a military graduation ceremony inJubayt,Red Sea Statein eastern Sudan. He survived.

Background

Main article:Sudanese civil war (2023–present)

On April 15, 2023, Sudan's paramilitaryRapid Support Forces(RSF) launched attacks against al-Burhan's government, triggering acivil war.Al-Burhan was pinned down at SAF headquarters in the capitalKhartoumuntil August 2023, when an SAF operation enabled him to evacuate toPort Sudan,where he has been based since then.

Attack

al-Burhan was attending a ceremony at a military base inJubayt,Red Sea State.Two drones struck the facility after the ceremony ended, killing five people and injuring several others.The dead consisted of two of al-Burhan's bodyguards and three military cadets.al-Burhan, believed to be the main target, survived and was evacuated.According to SAF spokespersonNabil Abdallah,he was unharmed.

The assassination attempt was carried out a day after theSudanese foreign ministryannounced that it would participate in talks with the RSF inSwitzerlandin August. The RSF claimed that they are open to negotiations with the junta but not with Islamists being part of the civil service.

Responsibility

The SAF blamed the RSF for the attack, but the latter denied responsibility and blamedIslamists,particularly the El Baraa Ibn Malik Brigadeas part of infighting between the SAF and its allies.The SAF later said that it had determined the exact location from where the drones were launched.

Aftermath

Following the attempted assassination, al-Burhan addressed the audience at the ceremony,saying that he ruled out negotiations with the RSF and that "We will not retreat, we will not surrender, and we will not negotiate."