Israel on Tuesday published an official gifts log showing that SAF chief, Gen. Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan, handed an M‑16 assault rifle to then‑intelligence minister Eli Cohen during Cohen’s clandestine January 2021 visit to Khartoum, days after Sudan agreed to normalize ties with the Jewish state.
The Prime Minister’s Office released the eight‑year list under a freedom‑of‑information order. Among the 1,000‑plus items catalogued was “1 × M‑16 rifle, full assembly — presented by Sudanese Sovereign Council chairman Gen. Burhan to Minister Eli Cohen.” The entry confirms long‑rumoured details of the trip, which had never been acknowledged by Sudan’s leadership at the time.
Cohen, now Israel’s energy minister, told the Ynet news site he initially thought the firearm was decorative. “Only on the plane back to Tel Aviv did I realise it was operational, so I disassembled it,” he said, adding that the weapon is stored at his ministry office.
Cohen returned to Khartoum in February 2023 as foreign minister, this time publicly, for talks that Sudan’s Sovereign Council said focused on “boosting security and military cooperation.”
Political ripples in Sudan
News of the gift surfaces as Sudan grapples with a civil war pitting General al Burhan’s forces (SAF) against the Rapid Support Forces. Analysts say the revelation could inflame debates over Burhan’s foreign alliances.
Khartoum has yet to comment on the rifle episode.
Why it matters
- Diplomatic gifts are normally ceremonial; a combat weapon is rare and could violate Israeli rules barring officials from retaining valuable presents.
- The disclosure highlights the depth of covert contacts that preceded Sudan’s still‑unratified normalization pact with Israel.
Israeli watchdog groups have asked the state custodian to clarify whether the rifle should be transferred to official storage. The Prime Minister’s Office said it is reviewing the issue.
