SAF Mourn Lieutenant General Ismat Abdel Rahman Zein El Abidine

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

General Command of the Armed Forces

Saturday, September 27, 2025

Obituary and Remembrance

God Almighty says:

(And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to God, and indeed to Him we will return.”)

Head of the Sovereignty Council, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Abdul Fattah Al-Burhan, the members of the Command Council, and all members of the Armed Forces mourn the passing of Lieutenant General Ismat Abdel Rahman Zein El Abidine, who passed away today, Saturday, September 27, 2025, after a long illness in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

The deceased was born in Khartoum Morth (Hilla Hamad) in 1951. He joined the armed forces in 1970 as part of the 23rd batch of the Sudanese Military College, becoming one of its prominent leaders.

He rose through the ranks and positions during a long career, beginning as an officer in the Armored Corps and an instructor at the Command and Staff College. He then served as Sudan’s military attaché in the Islamic Republic of Iran, eventually assuming the highest leadership positions, including Commander of the 6th Infantry Division, then Commander of the Western Military Region in El Fasher. He then assumed the position of Chief of the Joint Operations Command, and later Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The deceased also served as Minister of the Interior from 2014 to 2017.

The deceased was a distinguished leader, known for his good character, integrity, and purity of heart and tongue. He worked throughout his career with sincerity and dedication to the advancement of the nation and its armed forces.

Our sincere condolences to his family and to all members of the armed forces.

“To God we belong and to Him we shall return.”

Office of the Armed Forces Spokesperson