Abdel Fattah al-Burhan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
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عبد الفتاح البرهان
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Al-Burhan in 2019
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| Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council | |
| Assumed office 11 November 2021 |
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| Prime Minister | Abdalla Hamdok Osman Hussein (acting) |
| Deputy | Hemedti Malik Agar |
| Preceded by | Office re-established |
| In office 20 August 2019 – 25 October 2021 |
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| Prime Minister | Abdalla Hamdok |
| Deputy | Hemedti |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Head of State of Sudan | |
| In office 25 October 2021 – 11 November 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Transitional Sovereignty Council |
| Succeeded by | Transitional Sovereignty Council |
| Chairman of the Transitional Military Council | |
| In office 12 April 2019 – 20 August 2019 |
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| Deputy | Hemedti |
| Preceded by | Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf |
| Succeeded by | Transitional Sovereignty Council |
| Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces | |
| Assumed office 12 April 2019 |
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| 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 |
| 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 general in the Sudanese army. He is currently the leader of Sudan. After the Sudanese revolution in April 2019, he took charge of a group of military leaders called the Transitional Military Council. This happened because people were not happy with the previous leader.
He led this council until a new agreement was made with civilian groups. This led to the creation of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, which he also led. In 2020, an agreement allowed him to continue leading the Sovereignty Council longer than planned.
In October 2021, al-Burhan took power in a coup d'état. He then changed the Sovereignty Council, but kept himself as its chairman. He used to be the main inspector for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Today, he leads the SAF in the ongoing civil war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was born in 1960 in a village called Gandatu in northern Sudan. He came from a family that followed Sufism, a peaceful branch of Islam.
He went to elementary and middle school in his village. Later, he moved to Shendi to finish his studies. After that, he joined the Sudanese Military College.
Military Career
After finishing military school, al-Burhan joined the Sudanese army in Khartoum. He fought in the Darfur war and the Second Sudanese Civil War in South Sudan. He also served as a regional commander in Darfur.
He traveled to Egypt and Jordan for more military training. In 2018, he became the commander of the army's ground forces. Throughout his career, he held many important roles. He started as a soldier in the Border Guard Forces and later became their commander.
He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Ground Forces Operations. Then, in February 2018, he became the Chief of Staff of the Sudanese Army. In February 2019, during big protests against the government, he was promoted to lieutenant general.
Leading the Transitional Military Council (2019)
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Soon after he was appointed, al-Burhan ordered the release of all prisoners. These prisoners had been arrested by the previous leader, Omar al-Bashir. He announced this decision on television.
Protests and Government Response
In June 2019, after al-Burhan and his deputy Hemedti visited leaders in Egypt, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, Sudanese security forces acted against peaceful protests. This included the Khartoum massacre on June 3, where many peaceful protesters were killed.
After these events, talks between al-Burhan's group and the opposition to form a combined government were stopped. In the days that followed, the Transitional Military Council arrested several opposition leaders.
Some experts believe that leaders in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt were worried about democratic movements. They thought that if democracy spread in the Middle East, it could threaten their own governments.
Internet Shutdown
Several human rights groups, like Human Rights Watch, criticized al-Burhan's council for shutting down the internet in June 2019. A spokesperson said the internet would be off for a long time because it was a threat to national security.
Human Rights Watch called this a "gross violation of human rights." Many saw it as an attempt to hide what was happening in Khartoum. It also seemed to delay people from sharing evidence of the events that took place on June 3, 2019.
Talks for a Civilian Government
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 this change would take no more than two years.
Negotiations began with opposition leaders to make this happen. In May 2019, al-Burhan visited the Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and the leader of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Some activists suggested these visits encouraged the military council to stop talks with the opposition. This led to beliefs that al-Burhan might not truly want Sudan to become a democratic country. Despite his promises, his group seemed to keep the civilian government separate from key decisions.
Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council (2021–Present)
On October 25, 2021, al-Burhan led a military takeover that removed the civilian government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. However, on November 21, 2021, all political prisoners were released. Abdalla Hamdok was also brought back as prime minister as part of a new agreement.
In December 2021, al-Burhan told Reuters that the Sudanese military would "exit politics" after the elections planned for July 2023. He said the army would not be involved in politics once a government was elected.
He also warned against foreign groups trying to cause 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 a transitional government. He also promised to hold free and fair elections in July 2023.
Both al-Burhan and Hemedti have had connections with Russia's government. Some reports suggest they helped Russia get gold from Sudan. This gold might have helped Russia deal with international money problems and fund its war in Ukraine. In February 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. In July 2022, al-Burhan stated that the army would step back from political talks. This would allow political groups to form a civilian government. This statement followed protests where many people were killed.
In November 2023, al-Burhan spoke out against Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war. He said Sudan fully supports the Palestinian people's right to have their own state.
War in Sudan (2023–Present)
On April 15, 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, attacked al-Burhan's government. They claimed to have taken control of important government buildings. Al-Burhan said his forces still controlled these sites, and fighting continued.
The clashes went on, with some short ceasefires. Al-Burhan was stuck at the SAF headquarters in Khartoum until August 2023. A military operation then helped him move to Port Sudan, where he has been based since.
The Sudanese military has reportedly received support from Ukraine. Ukraine has also supposedly sent troops to fight in Omdurman. On the other side, the Rapid Support Forces have reportedly received help from Libya, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia's Wagner Group. This foreign involvement could have a very bad impact on Sudan.
Al-Burhan survived an assassination attempt in July 2024. This happened during a military graduation ceremony in Gebeit. Five people died in the drone attack.
U.S. Sanctions
On January 16, 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department placed sanctions on Al-Burhan. These sanctions were reportedly for "targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure and denial of aid access." He was also accused of "destabilizing Sudan and undermining the goal of a democratic transition."
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 died from his injuries on May 3, after being in intensive care for almost two months.
Images for kids
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Al-Burhan in 2019
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Rank insignia for a General in the Sudanese Army
See also
In Spanish: Abdelfatah al Burhan para niños
