SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources – Sudan coup leader al-Burhan threatens to expel UN envoy

2/4/2022: Multiple sources – Sudan coup leader al-Burhan threatens to expel UN envoy

• AP, by Samy Magdy

• Sudan Tribune

• Radio Dabanga

Abdulfattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s military-led ruling Sovereign Council, threatened to expel from Sudan Volker Perthes, the UN envoy to Sudan and head of UN Integrated Transitional Assistance Mission (UNITAMS).

Accusing Perthes of “flagrant interference” in Sudan’s affairs, al-Burhan threatened to “kick [him] out of Sudan” unless he “stops exceeding [UNITAMS] mandate”.

In a briefing to the UN Security Council on 28 March, Perthes warned that Sudan was heading for a political, security, economic and humanitarian collapse unless it addresses the political paralysis following the 25 October 2021 military coup, to which the Sudanese foreign ministry suggested that Perthes focuses on political issues instead of peace implementation and elections.

Saleh Mahmoud, a prominent human rights defender told Radio Dabanga that the foreign ministry “has no right to argue that [UNITAMS] is not mandated to talk about the widespread and systematic violations” when Sudanese authorities are responsible for such violations.