Al-Burhan took measures on October 25 that ended a partnership between the army and civilian parties that was supposed to lead to democratic elections, sparking months of protests as well as condemnations from the West.
US officials say they are looking at options to respond to the killing of at least 79 protesters, according to a tally from Sudan’s Central Doctors Committee, and to moves to obstruct the transition to a civilian-led government.
In his first interview with Sudan TV since the procedures, Al-Burhan said that Washington was receiving inaccurate information, and that sanctions or the threat of imposing sanctions are not helpful.
He added: “Sanctions, threats and threats, I do not think that it is useful and is not useful.”
Al-Burhan said that he is personally responsible for the investigations into the killing of the protesters, noting that five or six investigations are being conducted into this matter. But he said there were suspicions that “external groups” were involved.
He added that the armed forces are committed to handing over power to an elected government, or to an arrangement to be determined through a national consensus, reiterating the army’s commitment to holding elections in mid-2023.
Al-Burhan added that the army met with the committees leading the protest movement, and that several points were agreed upon. The committees had refused in the statements of the dialogue with the army.
Prior to Al-Burhan’s actions last October, the Sudanese Transitional Council led steps to reach an agreement in late 2020 on relations with Israel.
Al-Burhan said that the meetings between Israeli and Sudanese officials did not involve high-level envoys, and that the meetings resulted in the arrest of extremist cells.
He added: “This is a legitimate matter for these agencies, and it is not a secret that this exchanged information has enabled us to seize many terrorist organizations located inside Sudan.”