Speaking Monday at a civil service conference in Port Sudan, al-Burhan claimed the era of road blockades and burning tires had ended with the fall of the former regime, stating: “Glory is not in burning tires. Glory belongs to the rifle.”
The statement provoked immediate backlash from resistance groups, particularly in the capital. Khartoum Resistance Committees 1 and 2 released a scathing joint response accusing al-Burhan of rewriting the history of the 2018–2019 revolution that ousted longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.
“He is trying to criminalize the revolution and its heroes,” their statement read. “It was the revolution and the burning tires—not the rifle—that brought him to power.”
The committees reminded the general that he once embraced the protest movement, famously praising demonstrators with slogans like “Salute to the rascals, the tire burners, and those who stood firm.” They now accuse him of betraying the revolution and evading responsibility for Sudan’s current political and humanitarian crisis.
The statement also slammed al-Burhan for downplaying early warnings about the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—formerly the Janjaweed militia—who have since become a key actor in Sudan’s ongoing internal conflict. The resistance groups said they had long advocated for the disbandment of the RSF and the establishment of a unified, professional army under civilian oversight.
“We are not against a national army. We are against militias and armed groups that operate outside the law and undermine the people’s will,” they stated.
In El Fasher, the coordination of resistance committees echoed the condemnation, describing themselves as “the sons and daughters of the revolution of burning tires.” They emphasized that their protests were rooted in patriotism and the desire for dignity, not a quest for power.
“We did not take up arms for power. We stood up to avoid becoming refugees in a land we were building,” read their statement.
The controversy illustrates a growing rift between the military leadership and revolutionary forces, whose demands for democratic reform and civilian rule remain unmet. As Sudan continues to reel from conflict and economic collapse, the resistance committees reaffirmed their commitment to peaceful protest and a future free of military dominance.
