Gen. Burhan Visits Kaikal Family Compound in Gezira; Sovereign Council Issues Formal Condemnation of RSF Strike

Sudan's head of state Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan traveled to the Al-Kahli Zaidan village in Al Jazirah (Gezira) State on the night of May 3-4, 2026 to offer official condolences following the RSF drone strike on May 2 that killed 9–17 family members of Sudan Shield Forces commander Abu Aqla Kaikal. The Sovereign Council — Sudan's nominal ruling body headed by al-Burhan — issued a formal statement condemning the RSF for the targeted attack on a civilian family compound. Al-Burhan's personal visit signals the political and strategic importance of the Sudan Shield Forces to SAF's war effort: Kaikal had defected from the RSF in October 2024 and played a key role in recapturing Al Jazirah State before advancing toward Khartoum. The Sovereign Council statement described the attack as a 'terrorist act' targeting innocent civilians, including women and children. The visit also reflects SAF's effort to maintain the loyalty of former RSF-defector commanders who have provided SAF with critical tactical intelligence and local forces. The National (UAE) published details of Burhan's condolence visit alongside the higher casualty figure of 17 killed (updated from AFP's initial 9 killed report). The RSF did not publicly claim responsibility for the May 2 strike.