Sudan – The final hours of Wednesday witnessed rapid developments following reports in Sudanese and international media. These reports indicate that Lieutenant General Hassan Daoud Kabroun has resigned from his position as Minister of Defense in the Port Sudan government. This comes amidst his conspicuous and unexplained absence from the Security and Defense Council meeting held last Tuesday, chaired by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
The absence of Capron—who serves as the council’s rapporteur—from regular meetings is unprecedented. This has strengthened the hypothesis of his resignation, especially given the continued official silence and the lack of any statement from the government or Capron himself so far.
An absence that raises questions and repeated confirmations
The absence of the defense minister from the last meeting sparked widespread questions. Foreign Minister Mohi El-Din Salem was tasked with reading the final statement in his place. Observers considered this a clear indication of confusion within the military and political establishment.
Local and international media outlets, citing informed sources, reported that Capron had already submitted his resignation more than two weeks prior. His absence from the meeting served as de facto confirmation of his departure. While this information is widely circulating, official authorities remain completely silent regarding its veracity.
A turbulent context: power struggles and external pressures
These developments are occurring against a highly complex political and military backdrop. There is an internal power struggle within the Security and Defense Council. Furthermore, the dominance of Islamist leaders is growing, while the influence of relatively neutral military figures like Kabroun is waning.
Reports indicate that the minister had previously attempted to resign in November due to financial disagreements. These disagreements were related to funds for integrating the Rapid Support Forces into the army, before he withdrew his resignation following internal mediation.
Analysts believe that the confirmation of Kabaron’s resignation will mark a dangerous turning point within the power structure in Port Sudan, especially since the minister was one of the most prominent military leaders during the siege of the General Command in April 2023. He played a central role in defending the headquarters throughout the two years of war.
With no official statement issued so far, political and military circles in Sudan are anxiously awaiting the outcome of these developments. This waiting period continues as the armed conflict, which has displaced and forced millions of Sudanese to seek refuge since the war began in April 2023, persists.
