Sudan – Khalid Omar Youssef, a leader in the “Sumud” alliance and former Minister of Cabinet Affairs, commented today on what he called “the only true narrative” of the head of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, stressing that al-Burhan is seeking “to cling to power at any cost and in any form.”
Youssef’s comment came in a lengthy tweet on the “X” platform, criticizing Burhan’s recent article in the Wall Street Journal. He also criticized the contradictions in Burhan’s political and military stances.
Criticism of foreign and domestic alliances
Youssef pointed out that Burhan, in his article, reminded Israel of Sudan’s commitment to the Abraham Accords of 2021. This coincided with “his embracing of fighting battalions that openly declare that their next goal is war against Israel.”
Youssef criticized what he called Burhan’s “contradictions,” asserting that he promotes himself abroad as a symbol of moderation while simultaneously allying himself with extremists from both the Shia and Sunni wings of Islam.
He speaks in English, committed to the democratic transition, while using Arabic rhetoric in which he flatters the former regime and “performs acts of loyalty and obedience.”
Three coups against democracy
A leader in the “Sumud” alliance asserted that Burhan “derailed the democratic transition three times.” These instances include his participation in the violent dispersal of the sit-in (June 3, 2019), his leadership of the October 25, 2021 coup, and his direction of the current war against civilians.
“Playing with Snakes” and the Double Narrative
Youssef explained that Burhan publicly avoids adopting the narrative promoted by those around him. That narrative is that the war is “external aggression by the UAE and Israel.” Meanwhile, he secretly sends his emissaries “to gain the favor of these parties at any cost” to bolster his position.
Youssef concluded by saying that Burhan is “playing with fire” by standing at the head of an alliance full of contradictions, lacking a unified discourse or a shared vision.
He warned that this camp is “trapped in the present of war,” unable to take a single step beyond it without its internal divisions exploding. He described this as “a dangerous recipe that will plunge Sudan into endless chaos.”
