Outcry Erupts as US Allegedly Withholds Sudanese Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's UN Visa Over Truce Plan

Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has served as Sudan's de facto leader since 2019, having previously led a coup against Sudan's civilian leaders alongside the commander of the RSF paramilitary before entering a civil war with his fellow general in 2023. Sudanese activists and journalists have strongly criticised the United States following reports that Washington withheld a visa from army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in an apparent attempt to pressure him into accepting a ceasefire proposal.

Activists took to social media on Wednesday to condemn the reported action as political pressure, arguing that access to the UN should not be leveraged to influence Khartoum’s position on the ongoing three-year civil war. Neither the Sudanese government nor the US Department of State has issued official comments regarding these reports. General al-Burhan, whose army has been engaged in conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, was scheduled to deliver an address to the General Assembly on Thursday in New York.

The conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 200,000 people, according to aid worker estimates, while triggering the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises. The Reuters news agency reported on Tuesday, citing Sudanese sources, that the US was withholding the visa and conditioning its issuance on al-Burhan accepting a 90-day ceasefire proposed by Massad Boulos, US senior adviser for Arab and African affairs. Similarly, the AFP news agency cited two diplomatic sources confirming that Washington refused the visa, with one source labeling the decision a clear violation of the UN’s agreement with the US, and another noting the condition was tied to the three-month truce.

Sudan’s UN ambassador, Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith, formally wrote to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to request immediate UN intervention with US authorities. Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for Guterres, stated that the UN chief was deeply concerned over the withheld visa, noting that the UN Secretariat urged the US to ensure visas are issued in compliance with the UN Headquarters Agreement.

Sudanese activists and journalists voiced widespread opposition on platforms like Facebook and X, arguing that barring al-Burhan from New York will not silence Sudan’s voice or force compliance with US positions, but could instead rally domestic support. Critics also pointed to alleged double standards regarding the treatment of other international figures.

Meanwhile, the State Department issued a statement on Tuesday questioning the legitimacy of both the Sudanese army and the RSF, stating that neither represents constitutional governance for Sudan. In response, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the US to respect Sudan’s sovereignty and address negative foreign interference as a root cause of the conflict.