STORY: Sudan's al-Burhan announces imminent formation of new gov't
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 8, 2025
DATELINE: Feb. 9, 2025
LENGTH: 00:00:33
LOCATION: Khartoum
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the meeting

STORYLINE:

Sudan's ruling general, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said on Saturday that a new government would be formed soon to manage the country's affairs amid the devastating civil war.
   
Al-Burhan, chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council and commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), made the announcement during a meeting with political forces in Port Sudan, the council said in a statement.
   
"The upcoming period will witness the formation of a government to complete the transition tasks, and it could be called either a caretaker government or a wartime government," the statement quoted al-Burhan as saying.
   
The general said that the purpose of the new government would be to support the military in "cleaning Sudan from rebels."
   
Al-Burhan emphasized that the government would consist of independent national figures. The general ruled out negotiations with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with which the SAF has been engaged in a bloody civil war since mid-April 2023.
   
"There will be no negotiations with the rebels. But if they lay down their arms and withdraw from civilian homes and civilian objects, then we may consider talking with them," he said.
   
The conflict has claimed around 27,000 lives and displaced over 15 million people, according to international organizations.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Khartoum.
(XHTV)