A sharp escalation in tensions within General al-Burhan’s (SAF) suggests a potential Islamist challenge to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s authority.
Prominent Islamist preacher Abdel Hay Youssef has launched a blistering attack on al-Burhan, branding him an “irreligious traitor” and holding him responsible for the devastating war that has plagued Sudan since April 2023.
This latest critique follows a similar outburst by Youssef during a forum in Istanbul last week, where he accused al-Burhan of betrayal.
Youssef further claimed that jihadists, rather than the Burhan’s Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), should be credited for recent military successes.
His remarks have sparked widespread speculation about the shifting power dynamics within the Sudanese military, particularly regarding the influence of Islamist factions.
Youssef, a key figure in Sudan’s Islamic Movement, refuted al-Burhan’s claims of having no Islamist backing within the SAF. In a video that has since gone viral, Youssef revealed that the “Popular Resistance” forces aiding the SAF against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) include tens of thousands of militants trained by Islamist groups in recent years.
According to Youssef, these jihadist militias, which trace their origins to Sudan’s Islamist movements of the 1990s, have been the real force behind recent military victories.
This revelation has fueled concerns among analysts that Islamist factions within the SAF may be consolidating power, potentially overshadowing al-Burhan’s own faction.
Some believe that Youssef’s words signal that the Islamists are now controlling key military operations, positioning themselves as the true power behind Sudan’s ongoing war effort.
Youssef’s critique extended beyond military matters, accusing al-Burhan of losing trust not only among local allies but also with foreign entities like Turkey, which he claimed had distanced itself from the SAF leader.
He argued that al-Burhan’s failure to honor agreements and his mismanagement of the conflict have made him unreliable in the eyes of the Islamist factions.
The preacher also emphasized the growing rift between al-Burhan and the Islamist factions, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood. Youssef even suggested that Islamists are now deeply embedded within al-Burhan’s inner circle, insinuating that they may influence or control key decisions within the SAF.
This would mark a significant shift in power, despite al-Burhan’s repeated efforts to distance himself from Islamist elements.
As Sudan’s brutal war against the RSF continues, with tens of thousands dead and millions displaced, the internal divisions within the SAF raise the specter of a broader collapse in military and political authority. If the Islamists are indeed gaining control, they could soon pose a serious challenge to al-Burhan’s leadership.
With the conflict showing no signs of abating, it remains unclear whether these growing tensions will lead to a more significant breakdown of authority, potentially allowing Islamist forces to seize key military and political institutions.
What is certain, however, is that al-Burhan’s grip on power is weakening, and the Islamist factions that once supported him could soon turn into his most dangerous adversaries.