Sudan's Military Leadership Appoints New Prime Minister Amid Ongoing Conflict

Abdel Fattah Burhan appoints Kamil Idris as Sudan's new prime minister amidst ongoing conflict with Rapid Support Forces. This marks the first prime ministerial appointment since the 2021 coup. Idris' level of power remains uncertain as the country grapples with instability following military takeovers and conflict.

Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah Burhan, has appointed Kamil Idris, a former official from the United Nations and previous presidential candidate, as the new prime minister of the military-led government. The announcement came on Monday, marking the first appointment of a prime minister since the 2021 coup that dismissed civilian leadership, replacing it with a provisional government.

The extent of Idris' power remains uncertain as the military is currently engaged in a fierce conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This development follows a brief period where diplomat Dafallah al-Haj Ali was appointed as acting prime minister, a role that did not materialize effectively. Earlier decisions by Burhan include reappointing Salma Abdel Jabbar Almubarak to the sovereign council and appointing Nowara Abo Mohamed Mohamed Tahir to the governing body.

A new civilian administration was expected following the military's recapture of Khartoum from the RSF in March 2023. The RSF and the army initially worked together in the 2021 coup, overturning Sudan's transitional journey to democracy after Omar al-Bashir's removal in 2019. The ongoing conflict has seen RSF drone attacks on strategic locations, worsening the crisis in Sudan.

(With inputs from agencies.)