The head of Sudan's military, General Abdel Fattah Burhan, visited Port Sudan on Sunday (Aug. 27) for the first time since the beginning of the fighting between the military and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Sudan's army chief meets with deputy in Port Sudan
Sudan's Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (C) arrives to the coastal city of Port Sudan on August 27, 2023.
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Port Sudan is Burhan's second stop after leaving Khartoum, his first stop was in the northern River Nile province.
Footage also showed that Vice President of the Sovereignty Council Malik Agar was among those welcoming Burhan at Port Sudan Airport.
Video posted by a local media outlet showed Burhan being greeted by military personnel at Port Sudan.
Sudan was plunged into chaos in April when simmering tensions between the military, led by Burhan, and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere.
More than 3.4 million people were forced to flee their homes to safer areas inside Sudan, according to the United Nations’ migration agency.
Over a million crossed into neighbouring countries, including Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Central African Republic, the agency said.
The conflict has turned Khartoum and other urban areas into battlefields.
Many residents live without water and electricity, and the country’s health care system has nearly collapsed.