Abdel Fattah al-Burhan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
|
|
|---|---|
|
عبد الفتاح البرهان
|
|
.jpg)
Al-Burhan in 2025
|
|
| Head of State of Sudan | |
| Assumed office 12 April 2019 Serving with Transitional Sovereignty Council
21 August 2019 – 25 October 2021 11 November 2021 – present |
|
| Prime Minister |
|
| Preceded by | Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf |
| Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council | |
| Assumed office 11 November 2021 |
|
| Deputy |
|
| Preceded by | Position re-established |
| In office 21 August 2019 – 25 October 2021 |
|
| Deputy | Hemedti |
| Preceded by | Position established; Himself (as Chairman of the TMC) |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| President of the Transitional Military Council | |
| In office 12 April 2019 – 21 August 2019 |
|
| Deputy | Hemedti |
| Preceded by | Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished; Himself (as Chairman of the TSC) |
| Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces | |
| Assumed office 12 April 2019 |
|
| Leader |
|
| Preceded by | Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1960 (age 64–65) Gandatu, Northern Directorate, Republic of Sudan (present-day River Nile, Sudan) |
| Political party | Independent |
| Relatives | Mohammed (son) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Sudan |
| Branch/service | Sudanese Army |
| Years of service | 1991–present |
| Rank |  General |
| Battles/wars | Second Sudanese Civil War 2021 Sudanese coup d'état War in Darfur Sudanese civil war (2023–present)
|
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (born 1960) is a top army general in Sudan. He has been the main leader of Sudan since 2019. After a big change in Sudan in April 2019, he took charge of the country's military leaders. This group was called the Transitional Military Council (TMC).
Later, a new group called the Transitional Sovereignty Council was formed. This group included both military and civilian leaders. Al-Burhan was chosen to lead this council too. In October 2021, he took full control in a sudden change of government. He then formed a new Sovereignty Council, still with himself as the leader. He is currently leading the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in a conflict against another group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was born in 1960. His village was Gandatu in northern Sudan. He came from a family that followed Sufism, a type of Islamic belief. He went to school in his village for his early education. Later, he moved to a town called Shendi to finish school. After that, he joined the Sudanese Military College to become an army officer.
Military Career and Rise to Power
After finishing military college, al-Burhan worked in the Sudanese army in Khartoum. He took part in battles in the Darfur war and the Second Sudanese Civil War in South Sudan. He was a commander in the Darfur region. He also went to Egypt and Jordan for more military training. In 2018, he became the commander of the army's ground forces.
Al-Burhan held many important jobs in the army. He started as a soldier in the Border Guard Forces. He later became the commander of that force. He then became a top officer for army operations. In February 2018, he became the Chief of Staff of the Sudanese Army. By February 2019, during large protests in Sudan, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.
Leading the Transitional Military Council (2019)
After becoming the head of the Transitional Military Council (TMC), al-Burhan quickly ordered the release of all prisoners. These prisoners had been arrested by the previous leader, Omar al-Bashir. He announced this in a speech on television.
Protests and Internet Shutdown
In June 2019, after al-Burhan met with leaders from Egypt, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, Sudanese security forces acted against peaceful protests. This included a major event in Khartoum on June 3. Human rights groups reported that many peaceful protesters were harmed.
After these events, talks between al-Burhan's group and the opposition about forming a shared government stopped. The TMC also arrested several opposition leaders. Some people believed that leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt did not want democratic movements to succeed in the Middle East. They thought this influenced the TMC's decisions.
The al-Burhan-led TMC also shut down the internet in June 2019. A spokesperson said this was to protect national security. However, human rights groups said it was a serious violation of human rights. Many saw it as an attempt to hide what was happening during the protests.
Working Towards a Civilian Government
In May 2019, al-Burhan traveled to Egypt and the United Arab Emirates to meet with their leaders. Some observers thought these meetings encouraged the TMC to stop talks with the opposition. Despite this, many protesters wanted a civilian government.
On April 13, 2019, al-Burhan announced that a civilian government would be set up soon. He promised that the period of change would last no more than two years. Talks began with opposition leaders to make this happen.
Leading the Transitional Sovereignty Council (2021–Present)
On October 25, 2021, al-Burhan led a change in government. He removed the civilian government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. However, on November 21, 2021, all political prisoners were set free. Abdalla Hamdok was also brought back as prime minister as part of a new agreement. Hamdok was allowed to lead the government again.
In December 2021, al-Burhan stated that the Sudanese military would "exit politics" after elections. These elections were planned for July 2023. He said that once a government was elected, the army would not be involved in politics. He also warned against foreign groups that he said were causing trouble for the Sudanese army. He repeated his promise to stick to the agreement made with Prime Minister Hamdok.
On December 31, 2021, al-Burhan said he was committed to building all parts of the temporary government. He also promised to hold fair elections in July 2023.
Both al-Burhan and his former deputy, Hemedti, had connections to Russia. It was reported that they helped Russia get gold from Sudan. On February 9, 2023, al-Burhan met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
On January 2, 2022, Abdalla Hamdok resigned as prime minister. Osman Hussein then became the acting prime minister. On July 4, 2022, al-Burhan said the army would step back from political talks. He would allow political groups to form a temporary civilian government. This statement came after protests where many people were killed.
On November 10, 2023, al-Burhan spoke about the conflict in the Gaza Strip. He said Sudan fully supported the Palestinian people. He supported their right to have their own state based on the 1967 borders.
War in Sudan (2023–Present)
On April 15, 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started attacking al-Burhan's government. They claimed to have taken control of important government places. Al-Burhan said his forces still controlled these sites. Fighting has continued since then, with some short breaks. Al-Burhan was at the SAF headquarters in Khartoum until August 2023. A military operation helped him move to Port Sudan, where he has been based since then.
The Sudanese military has reportedly received support from Ukraine. Ukraine has also reportedly sent soldiers to fight in Omdurman. The RSF has reportedly received support from Libya, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia's Wagner Group. This involvement from other countries could have a very bad effect on Sudan.
Al-Burhan survived an attack in July 2024 while at a military ceremony in Gebeit. Five people died in this drone attack.
U.S. Sanctions
On January 16, 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department placed sanctions on al-Burhan. This means certain financial actions are restricted. The reasons given included targeting civilians and preventing aid from reaching people. He was also accused of making Sudan unstable and stopping the move towards a civilian government.
Personal Life
On March 6, 2024, al-Burhan's son, Mohammed Fattah Burhan Rahman, was badly hurt in a motorcycle accident in Ankara, Turkey. He passed away on May 3, 2024, after being in intensive care for almost two months.
See also
In Spanish: Abdelfatah al Burhan para niños
