Sudan’s army chief travels to Qatar for talks with emir as conflict rages

Gen. Burhan travels to Qatar for talks with emir on Sudan conflict; fighting since April has killed 4,000+ and displaced 5M; nine cease-fires violated; US, Saudi Arabia mediated peace negotiations adjourned in June.

Sudan's army chief travelled to Qatar on September 7 for talks with the country's emir, making his third international trip since fighting broke out between the military and a rival paramilitary force in April, Sudanese state media said.

Sudan plunged into chaos almost five months ago when long-simmering tensions between the military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, escalated into open warfare on April 15.

Burhan planned to hold talks with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in the Qatari capital, Doha, according to the state-run SUNA news agency.

In a video posted by the Sudanese army, Burhan was filmed leaving a plane in Doha and numerous Qatari officials greeting him on an airport tarmac. The army chief's arrival was also confirmed by the state-run Qatar News Agency.

During their meeting, Burhan and Al Thani discussed the challenges facing conflict-stricken Sudan, The Emiri Diwan said in statement. Al Thani reiterated his call for broad peace negotiations between all of Sudan's political forces and a lasting stop to the fighting, the statement said.

Acting Foreign Minister Ali al-Sadiq and Gen. Ahmed Ibrahim Mufadel, head of the General Intelligence Authority, accompanied Burhan on the trip, SUNA said.

The visit comes amid a flurry of similar diplomatic meetings convened in Egypt and South Sudan. Burhan held talks about the conflict with South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, on Monday in Juba.