Sudan’s army chief appoints the first prime minister since war began in 2023

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CAIRO (AP) — Sudan’s army chief on Monday appointed the country’s first prime minister since it plunged into civil war two years ago and following months of steady advances by the military against its paramilitary rival.

Kamil al-Taib Idris will be tasked with forming the country’s transitional government, a move long touted by military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, particularly after the army regained control of Khartoum in March and ousted the Rapid Support Forces from the capital.

The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023 when the military and the RSF turned against each other in a struggle for power. Their battles spread from Khartoum to around the country. At least 20,000 people have been killed, but the real toll is probably far higher. Nearly 13 million people have fled their homes, 4 million of them streaming into neighboring countries. Half the population of 50 million faces hunger.

The last prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, resigned in 2022 during a political deadlock and widespread pro-democracy protests.

Journalist and political analyst Osman Mirghani said that appointing Idris marks an important step toward restoring civilian-led rule and addressing Sudan’s political crisis.

“His chances of being accepted by various communities of the Sudanese society seems higher, even among those who support the RSF, because he has no political affiliations,” he said.

The RSF and its allies signed a charter in February in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, to establish a parallel government. The charter calls for “a secular, democratic and decentralized state,” in a nod to growing calls by Sudan’s many communities for autonomy from Khartoum.

Idris had previously worked as Sudan’s legal adviser at its U.N. mission and is a member of the U.N. International Law Commission, according to his social media profile.