Sudan: First Prime Minister Appointed by Army Chief since Conflict Started in 2023

Following months of consistent military advances against its paramilitary rival,Sudan’s army chief on Monday,May 19,named Kamil al-Taib Idris as the nation’s first Prime minister since the civil war broke out in the country two years ago.

Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan,the head of the military,has long praised Kamil al-Taib Idris for taking charge of the country’s transitional Government,especially after the Army retook Khartoum in March 2025,and drove the Rapid Support Forces out of the capital.

When the RSF and the military turned against one another in a power struggle in April 2023,the war in Sudan began. From Khartoum,their conflicts extended throughout the nation. Although at least 20,000 people have died,the actual number is most likely much higher. Four million of the nearly 13 million people who have fled their homes are swarming into neighboring countries. Of the 50 million people,half are hungry. Abdalla Hamdok,the previous prime minister,resigned in 2022 amid pro-democracy demonstrations and a political impasse.

The appointment of Idris,according to journalist and political analyst Osman Mirghani,is a significant step in reestablishing civilian-led governance and resolving Sudan’s political crisis. “Because he has no political affiliations,his chances of being accepted by various communities of the Sudanese society seem higher,even among those who support the RSF,” he stated.

In February,in Nairobi,the capital of Kenya,the RSF and its supporters signed a charter to form a parallel government. In response to the growing demands of Sudan’s numerous communities for independence from Khartoum,the charter calls for “a secular,democratic,and decentralized state.”