Al-Burhan reveals date of Sudanese forces’ withdrawal from Yemen

The Leader of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan told Al Jazeera that Sudanese forces would be withdrawn from Yemen when necessary, adding that talks about forming a regional grouping are still under discussion with other countries.

Al-Burhan said that the Sudanese forces in Yemen are not fighting against any party, but rather carrying out defensive operations. He said in an interview with Al Jazeera, which will be later in aired the program “Exclusive Interview” that that Sudanese forces would be withdrawn from Yemen when necessary.

The Leader of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan revealed that the regional grouping is just a proposal that has been discussed in the negotiations held by Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki with Sudanese government officials during his first official visit after the formation of the transitional government.

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Al-Burhan added that the gathering, which will include Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt, Chad and the countries bordering the Red Sea, would be formed after the approval of the leaders of these countries.

General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), Deputy Head of the Sudanese Transitional Military Council, said last month that his country has about 30,000 soldiers participating in the Yemen war, most of whom are from the Rapid Support Forces, which the Sudanese government had previously used in the Darfur conflict, according to Al Jazeera.

Last year, Sudanese forces demanded the withdrawal of troops from Yemen as their existence there became senseless and after a group of its soldiers were defeated in their confrontation with the Houthis. Among these forces, is an alliance calling itself the “National Alignment Forces”, which has submitted a memorandum to the government and parliament on this demand. The same demand had also been raised by the Popular Congress Party led by Ali Al-Haj.