Saudi King, Crown Prince welcome Sudan’s Burhan on official visit

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Monday met separately with Sudan’s top military general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Riyadh, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

Discussions revolved around bilateral ties and ways to strengthen them in several areas.

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Burhan is the chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council.

His visit to Saudi Arabia comes days after he met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed to discuss the political process in Sudan.

Burhan led a military coup on October 25 that ended a partnership between the army and civilian parties, which was meant to lead to democratic elections. This has led to months of deadly protests, which have been condemned by much of the international community.

In February, Burhan said the armed forces were committed to handing over power to an elected government or an arrangement decided through “national consensus,” reiterating a commitment to hold elections in mid-2023.

On Monday, the US imposed sanctions on Sudan’s Central Reserve Police for using excessive force and live ammunition against peaceful protesters that have demonstrated against the military coup.

The State Department announced that Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa David Satterfield was in Ethiopia to discuss “engagement on regional affairs, including Sudan and Ethiopia.”

Read more: US, UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE call for immediate restoration of Sudan’s govt: Statemen