The Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and de facto head of the Sudanese government, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, arrived in the Libyan capital Tripoli this morning, on an official visit during which he held discussions with the president of the Libyan Presidential Council, and the prime minister of the Libyan Government of National Unity. In ventures to broker peace between the warring parties, the Libyan government has also extended an invitation to the commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Lt Gen Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo, which he has accepted.

After his arrival in Tripoli, El Burhan, accompanied by Sudan’s Foreign Minister-designate Ali El Sadig, and the director of the General Intelligence Service (GIS), Lt Gen Ahmed Mufaddal, were received by the president of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed Yunus Al Menfi, and the prime minister of the Libyan Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.

During a bilateral meeting today El Buhan and President Al Menfi discussed “strengthening bilateral relations and ways to support the prospects for joint cooperation between the two countries, in a way that serves the interests of the two brotherly peoples”.

A statement by Transitional Sovereignty Council media liaison says that El Burhan briefed the Libyan president on developments in the situation in Sudan, against the backdrop of what he termed “the RSF’s rebellion against the state, which has resulted in the targeting of civilians, the killing of defenceless innocents, and the sabotage of vital institutions, installations, and infrastructure projects”.

El Burhan stressed that the government of Sudan agreed to negotiate in the Jeddah platform in order to end the suffering of the Sudanese people. He pointed out to his Libyan counterpart that an agreement was reached in May 2023, that stipulated that forces withdraw from civilian homes, however, he says “the RSF did not adhere to it”.

During the meeting, El Burhan voiced appreciation “for the positive positions of Libya towards Sudan, calling for and supporting Sudan’s unity, national security and stability, and rejecting negative foreign interference in the two brotherly countries”.

Al Menfi affirmed Libya’s support for Sudan and its support for its unity, security, and territorial integrity, indicating that Sudan is an important country for Libya, and its stability and cohesion cannot be neglected. He added that Libya’s efforts to reach peace in Sudan are a commitment and responsibility towards this brotherly country, stressing that “these efforts will continue until they bear fruit,” given the importance Sudan represents in the region.

The commander of the RSF, Lt Gen Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo, confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that he has received and accepted an invitation to visit Tripoli by Libya’s Prime Minister Dbeibeh.

This confirms reports in Libyan media that the Dbeibeh proposed a peace and ceasefire initiative between the SAF and RSF, following a phone call between Dbeibeh and the RSF on Sunday.

In his post, Hemedti expressed his thanks to Dbeibeh, and promised to meet him “in the near future”. The RSF commander also expressed his thanks for the Libyan initiative and efforts in supporting stability and peace in Sudan.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) continued its attacks on positions of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in greater Khartoum yesterday and today. The SAF managed to regain control of Abrof neighbourhood in old Omdurman and is currently besieging the buildings of the Sudan Radio and Television Corporation. In southern Khartoum, seven people were killed during the fighting yesterday. This morning, two Sufi worshipers were wounded in Omdurman when army soldiers fired at them.

Mohamed Kandasha, spokesperson for the emergency committee of Khartoum’s Southern Belt, told Radio Dabanga yesterday that five men, a woman, and a child were killed by artillery shells in the El Nahda El Nageed neighbourhood in southern Khartoum.

In old Omdurman, two people were injured when an army force opened fire on worshipers at dawn this morning. They were leaving the Hamed El Nil Mosque after dawn prayers this morning, Sheikh El Amin Omar, head of the El Gadiriyya El Mukashfi Sufi order reported in a video clip on social media. He said that the force commander apologised to the worshipers, saying that he had not been notified of the presence of civilians in the area.

The army continued its advance in Omdurman that was almost completely under control of the RSF. Military sources affiliated with the SAF indicated that the army is besieging the Sudan Radio and Television Corporation near Abrof along the River Nile in old Omdurman from various directions.

Residents of the area reported the presence of SAF troops near the El Morada Market and west of Dar El Riyada (Sports House). They said that the RSF is taking advantage of the nearby River Nile to transport weapons and ammunition by boat to their members controlling the buildings of the national radio and television and the area behind it to the borders of the Beit El Mal neighbourhood.

Sources downplayed the military importance of old Omdurman after the nearby Shambat Bridge, linking Omdurman with Khartoum North, was destroyed in November.

Earlier this month, Radio Dabanga reported about serious concerns by the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS) that the battles for the Sudan Radio and Television Corporation would lead to the destruction of the corporation’s nearly 100 year-old archives.

The SAF took control of the Abrof neighbourhood on Saturday and continued their attacks on the eastern areas of the old Omdurman yesterday morning. In the evening, the SAF confirmed its control over Abrof and Beit El Mal.

The RSF still control large parts of El Salha and Ombadda in southern and western Omdurman.

Communications blackout

The El Salha Neighbourhood Committees said in a report posted on social media yesterday that the area has been under RSF control “from the beginning of the war until now” and has not witnessed direct ground clashes between the RSF and the SAF.

The neighbourhoods, however, were subjected to “indiscriminate aerial bombardment” by the Sudanese Air Force, which “killed and wounded a large number of unarmed civilians”.

The airstrikes “decreased to a large extent recently, with the exception of limited bombing of an RSF base during the past two days.”

The neighbourhood committees further reported that the nearly three-weeks old interruption of communications and Internet services “caused a state of tension among the remaining residents of El Salha”.

They said that the communications blackout “resulted in a catastrophic living situation due to the loss of sources of income as a result of the damned April 15 war. Many people depend on bank transfers from relatives abroad, which has now been interrupted because of the Internet outages.”

Sources in Omdurman reported a partial return of the MTN network. The Sudani network reportedly returned to eastern and northern Sudan, while it continued to be cut off in the rest of the country.