Sudan's army names new chief of staff in biggest wartime military shakeup

Sudan's army on Thursday named a new chief of staff, part of its biggest military shake-up since its civil war with the Rapid Support Forces began nearly three years ago.

General Yasser al-Atta, a deputy to army chief and de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in his ruling Transitional Sovereignty Council, will head the new armed forces command, the army spokesman said in a statement.

The overhaul also brings in new deputies for administration, operations, training, supply and military intelligence.

Atta replaces Mohamed Othman al-Hussein, who had been in the post since 2019.

A veteran officer with about 40 years of service, Atta is known for his outspoken criticism of the United Arab Emirates, accusing it of supporting the RSF -- allegations Abu Dhabi denies.

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He has also been a prominent political figure since 2019, serving on the Transitional Sovereignty Council formed after the overthrow of longtime president Omar al-Bashir.

Last month, Atta said the army would press ahead with integrating allied armed groups into the military to end militias and form a unified national force.

But the announcement has raised concerns that Islamist-leaning groups, including the US-sanctioned al-Baraa Ibn Malik Brigade, could be folded into the forces.

Washington last month designated the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood, including the Sudanese Islamic Movement and its armed wing, the al-Baraa Ibn Malik Brigade, a terrorist organisation, accusing it of receiving financial support from Iran.

Burhan has repeatedly denied accusations that Islamists dominate the military.

Efforts to end the war, led by the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, have so far faltered, with both sides emboldened by battlefield gains.

Analysts say progress has been further complicated by Burhan's reliance on Islamist networks that fear a peace deal would sideline them.

Drone attack on hospital

The leadership changes come as fighting spreads to new fronts, including southern Kordofan, now the most volatile theatre of the war, and the southeastern Blue Nile state, where intensified clashes have raised fears of a longer and increasingly fragmented conflict.

Near-daily drone attacks continue to disrupt daily life, at times killing dozens.

A government source and two witnesses told AFP anonymously that the RSF targeted a hospital in the Al-Jabalain area of White Nile state, just east of Kordofan, on Thursday.

The army-aligned health ministry said 10 medical and administrative staff, including the hospital's director, were killed and 22 wounded.

The RSF denied responsibility, calling the accusations "false" and a "fabricated scenario" by the army.

Now nearing the three-year mark, Sudan's civil war has killed tens of thousands of people, forced more than 11 million from their homes and created the world's largest hunger crisis.