General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the second officer to be sworn in as Sudan’s new military ruler in consecutive days, is a « veteran soldier »…
General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the second officer to be sworn in as Sudan’s new military ruler in consecutive days, is a « veteran soldier » largely unknown outside the army.
On Friday, Burhan became chief of a military council that deposed Omar al-Bashir, after the president’s immediate successor General Awad Ibn Ouf stepped down following little more than 24 hours in power.
Protesters, determined to see a civilian government after the end of Bashir’s iron-fisted three decades in power, saw Ibn Ouf as a regime insider and a close aide of the toppled leader.
Ibn Ouf’s exit has catapulted Burhan from the shadows to the de facto head of the country.
« Burhan is a high ranking officer within the armed forces, but basically he’s a veteran soldier, » said an army officer, who did not want to be named.
« He’s never been in the limelight like Ibn Ouf or General Kamal Abdelmarouf, » the officer said, referring to the army’s former chief of staff.
Burhan had a stint as Sudan’s defence attache to Beijing.
