Rhino: Follow-up – Information reported by the website “Africa Intelligence” revealed Saudi efforts targeting a number of Sudanese leaders and political figures associated with the (Sumud) coalition, in an effort to persuade them to accept political understandings with the commander of the Sudanese army, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to influence the future of the political settlement in Sudan.
According to the information in the report, Riyadh has been in contact with a number of political and civil society figures individually, rather than communicating with the coalition’s leadership as a unified political entity. According to the published information, these contacts included figures such as Omar al-Digair, Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, Babiker Faisal, and Abdul Wahid Muhammad Nur, as well as other figures from the National Umma Party.
The report noted reservations expressed by both Abdul Wahid Muhammad Nur and Babiker Faisal regarding the idea of a political partnership with al-Burhan. Among the details cited in the published information was that the “Sumoud” coalition had requested to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a unified delegation to discuss developments in the Sudanese crisis; however, the request had not received a response as of the report’s publication date. This raises questions about the nature of the Saudi approach to dealing with Sudanese civilian forces, and whether Riyadh prefers direct communication with influential figures rather than engaging in a collective dialogue with the coalition.
These contacts also raise questions about whether Riyadh is seeking to build a broader political base that would allow for Burhan’s inclusion in arrangements for the next phase, while bringing in civilian figures who could help provide him with political cover.
