Al-Burhan threatens to expel the UN envoy to Sudan

The head of Sudan's Sovereign Council, Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, threatened Friday to expel the United Nations special representative, Volker Peretz, for "interfering" in the country's affairs.

Peretz said in a speech to the UN Security Council on Monday that Sudan is heading towards "economic and security collapse and great human suffering" unless the transitional period is resumed under the leadership of civilians who were overthrown by Al-Burhan in a military coup last year.

The UN envoy also warned of the high level of crime and chaos, the killing of anti-coup protesters, violence against women "by members of the security forces", and the escalation of targeting activists.

During the graduation ceremony of new batches of the Military College and Karary University, Al-Burhan demanded the UN envoy "to stop continuing to exceed the mandate of the UN mission and blatant interference in Sudanese affairs, and that this will lead to his expulsion from the country."

He also urged the United Nations and the African Union to "facilitate dialogue between the Sudanese and avoid overstepping their mandate," according to a statement from the army's spokesperson's office.

In turn, the editor-in-chief of the Armed Forces newspaper, Ibrahim Al-Houry, accused in an article on Thursday the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), headed by Volker Peretz, of "not adhering to the principle of neutrality."

The mission rejected the accusation, but stressed that it was "not impartial regarding the commitment to protect human rights, freedoms and democracy."

Peretz said that the UN mission had agreed with the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to make joint efforts to facilitate talks in Sudan.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news