Sudan's army leader appoints new acting Prime Minister after Khartoum recapture

Sudan's army leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has appointed diplomat Dafallah Al-Haj Ali as the country’s acting prime minister, following the army's recent recapture of Khartoum. 

This decision, announced on April 30, comes after weeks of military efforts to regain control of the capital, Caliber.Az reports per Arabic international newspaper.

Burhan, who also serves as the chairman of Sudan's transitional sovereign council, has endorsed the appointment of Omar Seddik, a serving ambassador, as the new foreign minister, according to a statement from the council.

The Sudanese army's recapture of Khartoum in March marked a significant moment in the ongoing conflict, which has fractured the country into rival zones of control. While the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia was pushed out of most of Khartoum after two years of fighting, they continue to hold significant influence in western Sudan.

The war, which began in April 2023, stemmed from tensions over the integration of the army and RSF, after the two forces collaborated to overthrow the civilian government that had emerged following the 2019 uprising that ousted longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

In February, Burhan announced plans for changes to Sudan’s interim constitution, which, according to military sources, would eliminate any references to civilian partnership or the RSF. The proposed changes would grant full authority to the army, which would appoint a technocratic prime minister to form a new cabinet.

Notably, as of April 2025, Sudan's military has largely regained control of Khartoum, marking a significant shift in the civil conflict that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). By March, the SAF had retaken key strategic locations, including the Republican Palace and Khartoum International Airport, effectively declaring the capital liberated.

Despite these gains, the RSF maintains a presence in parts of the capital, particularly in southern and western districts. Clashes continue in neighbourhoods like Al-Sajana, where the SAF has advanced from the south. Additionally, RSF forces remain active in western Sudan, including Darfur, where recent attacks have resulted in significant casualties.

The conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis, with over 28,000 deaths and nearly 13 million displaced individuals. Efforts to form a new government continue, with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan appointing an acting prime minister on April 30, 2025. However, the situation remains volatile, and the path to lasting peace remains uncertain.

​By Aghakazim Guliyev