KHARTOUM, Sudan – Sudan’s army leader, Abdel Fattah Burhan, has appointed diplomat Dafallah Al-Haj Ali as the country’s acting prime minister on Wednesday, weeks after the army successfully regained control of Khartoum.
This decision follows Burhan’s leadership as chairman of Sudan’s transitional sovereign council, which oversees the country’s governance amidst a prolonged political and military crisis.
Additionally, Burhan approved the appointment of Omar Seddik, a seasoned diplomat and current ambassador, as foreign minister, marking a significant shift in Sudan’s government structure.
The announcement was made through an official statement by the transitional sovereign council.
The military’s recent success in recapturing Khartoum came after two years of devastating conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia.
While the army regained control of most of the capital, the RSF remains heavily entrenched in western Sudan, continuing to pose challenges to the country’s stability.
The conflict between the Sudanese army and RSF began in April 2023, sparked by disputes over the integration of the two forces.
The military and RSF had previously worked together to oust civilians from power, following the 2019 uprising that ended the rule of autocrat Omar al-Bashir.
However, the power-sharing arrangement between the army and civilian leaders broke down, leading to violence and the eventual outbreak of war.
In February 2025, Burhan announced plans to amend the country’s interim constitution, aiming to eliminate all references to civilian partnerships and the RSF, shifting all authority to the military.
According to military sources, the changes would empower the army to appoint a technocratic prime minister, who would, in turn, form a cabinet.
