SUDAN’s military leader Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has survived an assassination attempt, the army spokesman has told the BBC.
Nabil Abdallah blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which the army has been battling for the last 16 months for control of the country.
He said two drones had struck an army graduation ceremony killing five people at a base in Jabait in the east – territory under the control of the military.
But the RSF’s legal adviser told the Reuters news agency that the group, which has agreed to go to US-mediated talks next month, was not responsible.
Speaking after being evacuated to safety following the attack, Gen Burhan vowed to crush his opponents and ruled out negotiations.
“We will not retreat, we will not surrender, and we will not negotiate,” the AFP news agency quotes him as saying.
On Tuesday, his government had agreed to conditionally join the mediation in Geneva on 14 August.
Previous talks to end the conflict, which has created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, have failed as both sides have refused to honour their commitments.
More than 10 million people have fled their homes since the former allies fell out over an internationally backed political plan to move towards civilian rule.
The Jabait army base is about 100km (62 miles) from Port Sudan, the military’s de facto capital and where Gen Burhan is based.
Video footage being shared from those attending the ceremony on Wednesday morning shows military graduates marching in ceremonial dress before the sound of a strike.
“The only party that is hostile to the Sudanese people and targeting the Sudanese people is the rebel Rapid Support Forces,” Gen Abdallah told the BBC.
He thanked God that Gen Burhan and “all the commanders present are fine” and that there were not many major injuries.
