The head of Sudan’s Transitional Military Council arrived in Juba this afternoon for talks with President Salva Kiir over relations between the two countries.

This is the first visit by Lieutenant-General Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, who took over from former Sudanese Defense Minister, Awad Ibn Auf after the overthrow of President Omar al Bashir in April.

Most recently, President Salva Kiir expressed support for the Sudanese Military Council since taking over the interim leadership of Sudan.

The council on its part guaranteed smooth relations, and an uninterrupted flow of South Sudan oil through its territory to the international market at the Port of Sudan.

Details on the essence of the close-door meeting between the two leaders have not been made public.

But Sudan remains the main guarantor for the South Sudan peace agreement that was signed in September last year. The agreement was mediated by former President, Omar al Bashir.

Sudan also still host the First Vice President-designate, Dr. Riek Machar and a few other members of the opposition groups.

Meanwhile, the political situation in Sudan continues to remain unstable due to a deadlocked between the generals and protest leaders over who should lead a new governing body to oversee the formation of a civilian administration.

On Sunday the main opposition group rejected a call by protesters to stage a two-day general strike because of a stalemate in talks with the ruling military -a soldier or a civilian.

The umbrella protest movement, the Alliance for Freedom and Change, the National Umma Party said in a statement that a general strike should be used after it is agreed upon by a council of leaders of the protest movement. </s> Sudan's ruling military council and leaders of its civilian opposition movement announced a preliminary power-sharing deal Friday, marking an end to a months-long stalemate and raising hopes that deadly unrest since former President Omar al-Bashir's ouster could culminate in democratic rule.

"Today our revolution is triumphant," the Sudanese Professionals Association, which led the protests that took down Bashir in April, said in a statement posted to social media. "We will continue to accomplish the goals of the revolution."

The deal calls for a joint sovereign council that will lead Sudan during a transition period of three years and three months, according to the SPA.

The 11-member council will consist of five soldiers and five civilians, with a sixth civilian chosen by both sides. It will have a rotational presidency: A military leader will preside over the council for 21 months, followed by a civilian leader for 18 months. Elections would then be held.

"This agreement will be comprehensive and will not exclude anyone," said Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy head of the Transitional Military Council, Reuters reports.

The African Union and Ethiopia helped broker the deal during two days of talks in Khartoum. Negotiators are set to come together this weekend to hammer out a final version.

"The devil will be in the detail of any deal – but we hope this marks a step towards an end of the horrific crimes that have been committed against the people of Sudan for decades," Kumi Naidoo, secretary general of Amnesty International, said in a statement. "This agreement must be judged by how those in power now live up to their responsibilities to respect people's fundamental rights — something the Sudanese people have been deprived of for well over three decades.

As word of the deal spread Friday, hundreds of Sudanese took to the streets in celebration, beating drums, singing and waving the national flag.

But while both sides hailed the agreement, many people remained skeptical. "Of course there is a lack of trust between the people of Sudan, of the opposition, when it comes to the military," Halima Gikandi reports for NPR.

The Transitional Military Council took control of the country soon after Bashir was deposed, announcing it would rule for two years before democratic elections could take place. Protesters and opposition leaders balked and demanded an immediate transfer of power to a transitional civilian government.

Thousands of pro-democracy protesters camped outside military headquarters in the capital, Khartoum, as opposition leaders engaged in negotiations with the military. But talks collapsed early last month after Sudanese security forces opened fire on demonstrators, killing dozens of people.

Protesters maintained their call for civilian rule by launching a civil disobedience campaign that brought Khartoum to a standstill and by continuing to hold mass demonstrations, even as they were met by violence.

In all, protesters say the military crackdown left more than 100 people dead.

The SPA says the military has agreed to a national independent investigation into the protester deaths. Despite distrust of the military, opposition leaders see the power-sharing deal as the only viable pathway to a functional government that can address the concerns of the people, Gikandi reports.

"Our people are wounded, our wounds will heal," the Sudanese Professionals Association said in Friday's statement. </s> At least four school children and one adult were shot dead as security services broke up a protest in the Sudanese city of El-Obeid on Monday, campaigners said.

At least four school children and one adult were shot dead as security services broke up a protest in the Sudanese city of El-Obeid on Monday, campaigners said.

Four school children among those shot dead by security services during protest in Sudan

A group of doctors linked to the opposition said the five were hit during a demonstration by high school pupils in the main city in Sudan's North Kordofan state.

Many other people were injured, added the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors - one of a group of unions and professional bodies that helped lead months of protests against Sudan's long-term leader Omar al-Bashir.

There was no immediate statement from the state security services, or from Sudan's military leaders who ousted Bashir in a coup in April as the protests mounted.

Videos circulating on social media purported to show pupils protesting outside El-Obeid's main hospital against the killings and injuries.

Hundreds of teenagers in uniform chanted "blood for blood, we will not accept blood money" in the footage.

The doctors group did not give details on what first started the protest in El-Obeid, around 400km southwest of the capital Khartoum.

But opposition activists have kept up their demonstrations since April, pressing for the military to speed up the move to civilian rule and calling for justice for people killed during a raid on a sit-in protest in Khartoum in June.

The main opposition Forces of Freedom and Change coalition is negotiating with the ruling military council to finalise an agreement for a three-year transition to elections.

The two sides signed a deal on July 17 setting out the transition's institutions. But talks have been repeatedly delayed since then amid disagreements of the wording of a constitutional declaration to determine the role of a new council to run Sudan. </s> Ethiopia’s prime minister, Abiy Ahemd on Tuesday pledged not to interfere in the ongoing Sudan political impasse, saying his country will only contribute ideas to their Southern neighbour.

Abiy was hosting the leader of Sudan’s transitional military council, General Abdul Fattah Burhan, who has also met leaders of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates in the past week.

“On the request for advise, he shared the importance of being inclusive in the transition process,’‘ reported the office of the Ethiopian prime minister.

Sudan’s military is currently negotiating with leaders of protesters that overthrew president Omar al Bashir, to form a transitional authority that can run the country until the next election is held.

Meanwhile, the alliance of opposition and protest groups held a general strike on Tuesday as tensions mounted with the country’s military rulers over the transition to democracy.

Dozens of Sudanese crowded outside their workplaces, including banks and hospitals, in the capital Khartoum while holding signs and chanting.

Talks between the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF) alliance are at a standstill despite weeks of negotiations over whether civilians or the military will have the upper hand in a sovereign body to lead the country during a three-year transition to democracy.

The DFCF had said an initial two-day strike would encompass public and private enterprise, including the civil aviation, railway, petroleum, banking, communications and health sectors. </s> Sudanese pro-democracy supporters celebrate a final power-sharing agreement with the ruling military council Saturday, Aug 17, 2019, in the capital, Khartoum. The deal paves the way for a transition to civilian-led government following the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir in April. (AP Photo)

CAIRO (AP) — Sudan’s pro-democracy movement and ruling military council signed a final power-sharing agreement Saturday at a ceremony in the capital, Khartoum, after weeks of tortuous negotiations.

The historic deal paves the way for a transition to a civilian-led government after the military overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir months ago and the more recent deadly suppression of protests.

Earlier this month, the two sides initialed a constitutional document in the wake of international pressure and amid growing concerns that the political crisis that followed al-Bashir’s ouster could ignite civil war.

Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, head of the military council, called the signing a “victorious and historic day for our nation.”

“The revolution has achieved its goals,” he said, vowing the military would guarantee the transition to civilian rule.

Protest leader Mohammed Naji al-Asam said the two sides have ushered in a “new page” in Sudan’s history after three decades of “repression and corruption.”

The power-sharing deal creates a joint military and civilian sovereign council to rule for a little over three years until elections can be held. A military leader is to head the 11-member council for the first 21 months, followed by a civilian leader for the next 18. Lt. Gen. Shams el-Din Kabashi, spokesman for the military council, said Burhan would be the initial leader.

The agreement also establishes a Cabinet appointed by the activists, as well as a legislative body to be assembled within three months. The protest coalition is to have a majority in that body, as nominated by the Forces for Declaration of Freedom and Change, a coalition of opposition parties and movements representing the protesters.

The two sides appeared to agree on the soundness of a deal that came about in part because of international pressure. Ethiopia and the African Union co-led mediation efforts between the military and protesters.

Many regional leaders and international envoys attended Saturday’s ceremony, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Attendees in the Friendship Hall where the ceremony took place received Ahmed with cheering and chanting.

But at least one analyst, Suliman Baldo, a senior researcher with the Enough Project, said the country will still face obstacles during the coming months of transition.

“Daunting challenges will face Sudan’s progress to democracy and sound governance, chief among them the survival of the elements of the former regime in the institutions of the transition,” Baldo said.

Still, the Sudanese celebrated in Khartoum and elsewhere across the country Saturday. Video posted online showed people celebrating in the streets in Darfur and the eastern province of Kassala.

Railway workers and other protesters had traveled to the capital Friday by train from Atbara, the northern transport hub where the uprising began in December.

The military overthrew al-Bashir in April following months of protests against his three-decade-long authoritarian rule. The protesters then remained in the streets, demanding a rapid transition to civilian leadership.

The ruling military council and the activists came under renewed pressure to reach an accord after security forces opened fire on student protesters on Aug. 1 in the city of Obeid, leaving six people dead. At least nine troops from the paramilitary Rapid Support forces were arrested over the killings.

In June, security forces violently dispersed the protesters’ main sit-in outside the military headquarters in Khartoum, killing dozens of people and plunging the fragile transition into crisis. The power-sharing agreement includes the establishment of an independent investigation into the crackdown on protests, specifically the dispersal of the sit-in.

Former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi, the leader of the opposition Umma party, said the deal was a “first step” in the democratic change until “fair” elections are held.

“Today is the day of transition to civilian rule. … The next stage will be a test for us, without exclusion. We will open the door so all people can participate,” said al-Mahdi, who led Sudan’s last freely elected government before an Islamist-backed military coup in 1989.

Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy head of the military council, and protest leader Ahmad Rabie, who is a high school teacher, signed the deal. Both had initialed the documents earlier this month.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres congratulated the Sudanese people and looked forward to “engaging with and supporting the transitional governing institutions.”

The Forces for Declaration of Freedom and Change nominated a well-known economist, Abdalla Hamdok, to be prime minister during the transition. He served as the deputy executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa since November 2011, and has yet to be confirmed by the sovereign council. The council’s members are to be announced Sunday, after which the ruling military council will immediately be disbanded.

The power-sharing deal has been criticized by the Sudan Revolutionary Front, an alliance of the largest rebel groups in Darfur. The rebels have stressed to protest leaders that the agreement did not include “basic principles” to achieve peace in Sudan. The deal calls for the government to reach a peace agreement with the rebels within six months.

The rebel alliance, which is part of the FDFC opposition coalition, wanted to include a peace document agreed on by the protest movement in the power-sharing deal. The rebel leaders have engaged in talks with other protest leaders to settle the disputed points. </s> KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan’s military rulers offered to resume talks with opposition groups on Wednesday, two days after security forces mounted a deadly raid on a protest camp, but the opposition rejected the invitation.

Medics linked to the opposition said the death toll from Monday’s operation and subsequent unrest had risen to 108 and that it was expected to increase. State news agency SUNA early on Thursday put the number much lower, at 46, citing a health ministry official.

The raid, which followed weeks of wrangling between the ruling military council and opposition groups over who should lead Sudan’s transition to democracy, marked the worst outbreak of violence since the army ousted President Omar al-Bashir in April after months of protests against his 30-year rule.

The Transitional Military Council cancelled all agreements it had reached with the opposition immediately after the raid, but it rowed back on Wednesday amid mounting international criticism of the violence.

“We in the military council extend our hand for negotiations without shackles except the interests of the homeland,” its head, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said on state TV.

But a Sudanese alliance of protesters and opposition groups rejected the offer, saying the military could not be trusted.

“Today the council invited us to dialogue and at the same time it is imposing fear on citizens in the streets,” Madani Abbas Madani, a leader of the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF), told Reuters.

Madani said Burhan’s invitation had come before the arrest of one of the opposition alliance members, Yasir Arman, deputy head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) rebel group.

Opposition medics said 40 bodies that had been pulled out of the Nile on Tuesday were among the 108 killed. The bodies were taken to an unknown destination by pickup trucks belonging to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, the medics said. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the report.

A military council spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment, but the council said on Twitter that some Rapid Support Forces members had been attacked and that people had put on their uniforms to impersonate them in an attempt to harm their reputation.

The mood in the capital, Khartoum, remained tense on Wednesday, with demonstrators blocking streets in several districts. Gunfire rang out in the distance.

Most shops were shuttered on what would usually have been a bustling Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday. Minor protests erupted outside mosques after Eid prayers, but there were no reports of significant clashes with security forces.

The deputy head of the military council, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti, said in a televised speech that it had launched “an urgent and transparent investigation” into the recent violence.

“Any person who crossed boundaries has to be punished,” he added.

The military has denied trying to clear the sit-in protest outside the defence ministry on Monday. Its spokesman said forces moved in to deal with disruptive groups nearby and the violence spread from there.

Saudi Arabia, which has close ties to Sudan’s military council, said on Wednesday it was watching developments with great concern and called for more dialogue.

U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said in a Twitter post that Monday’s violence by Sudan’s security forces was “abhorrent” and demanded that the military council facilitate moves towards a civilian-led government.

The main protest organizer, the Sudanese Professionals Association, has called for an international committee to investigate Monday’s deaths in what it branded a “massacre”.

Several airlines have cancelled flights to Khartoum, including Bahrain’s Gulf Air, flydubai and EgyptAir.

Sudan has been rocked by unrest since December, when anger over rising bread prices and cash shortages broke into sustained protests against Bashir that culminated in the military removing him after three decades in office. </s> KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan’s alliance of opposition and protest groups held a general strike on Tuesday as tensions mounted with the country’s military rulers over the transition to democracy.

Members of Sudanese alliance of opposition and protest groups chant slogans outside an office block during the first day of a strike, as tensions mounted with the country's military rulers over the transition to democracy, in Khartoum, Sudan May 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

Dozens of Sudanese crowded outside their workplaces, including banks and hospitals, in the capital Khartoum while holding signs and chanting.

“As companies, we provide services to citizens. We have announced our apologies for not providing these services today and tomorrow, in support of the revolution, in support of freedom, and in support of justice,” said Mohamed El-Tayeb, a private-sector worker.

Most staff in the medical sector, electricity offices and at the central bank as well as commercial banks observed the strike but other sectors were only partially affected.

“We study the developments that have taken place in (other countries). That is why we have demands, that is why our martyr brothers have given so much,” said Abdallah Othman, a worker at an aviation company. “That is why we have been subjected to arrests, some of whom are our colleagues here at the company. We have to fulfill our demands and achieve civilian rule.”

Talks between the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF) alliance are at a standstill despite weeks of negotiations over whether civilians or the military will have the upper hand in a sovereign body to lead the country during a three-year transition to democracy.

Discussions are continuing at a lower level to try to work toward an agreement and there will be no backing down from what has already been agreed, TMC spokesman General Shams El Din Kabbashi told Al Hadath TV on Tuesday.

The DFCF had said an initial two-day strike would encompass public and private enterprise, including the civil aviation, railway, petroleum, banking, communications and health sectors.

If an agreement was not reached with the TMC, the DFCF said it would escalate by calling for an open strike and indefinite civil disobedience until power is handed to civilians.

The TMC’s deputy head, Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who is known by his nickname Hemedti, repeated on Tuesday that the council was ready to hand over power swiftly.

“If we find trust, we would hand over power tonight before tomorrow,” he said.

Many shops remained open while buses were still transporting residents, a Reuters witness said. The airport in Khartoum was operating normally, a civil aviation authority source and state news agency SUNA said. </s> Johannesburg - The Sudanese military and the opposition have reached agreement on a power-sharing transitional government, the BBC reported early Friday, citing African Union mediators. The main opposition grouping Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF) and the military are to take turns at the helm of a sovereign council - the highest level of power - for three years. Fresh elections are to follow.

The two sides also agreed to investigate recent violence in Sudan which has led to scores of deaths.

Anti-government demonstrations began in Sudan late last year with protesters calling for long-time leader Omar al-Bashir to go. The military stepped in in April, launching a coup and arresting him.

But protesters have argued that the new military rulers are a continuation of al-Bashir's former regime and have sought more concessions and a transition to civilian government. </s> The military forced out president Omar Al Bashir after three decades and announced its rule over the country

Thousands of Sudanese protesters rallied outside army headquarters late on Friday, despite a night-time curfew imposed by the military after it ousted president Omar Al Bashir following months of demonstrations.

Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan has been named the chief of the new military council after the resignation of Sudan’s Defence Minister, Gen Awad ibn Auf.

The army's Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Kamal Abdelmarouf, was also relieved of his position.

Stay with us throughout Saturday for the latest updates on the situation in Sudan.

• Mat Nashed: Protesters vow to push on in Khartoum

• Profile: Omar Al Bashir

• Iconic image: Sudan's 'Nubian Queen' protester

• SPA: how an illegal union became the biggest threat to Omar Al Bashir’s reign

Times: UTC+4

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04:25 Saudi Arabia announces Sudan aid package

Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it backed steps announced by Sudan's transitional military council and announced an aid package to Sudan that includes wheat, petroleum products, and medicine, Saudi state news agency (SPA) said.

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04:15 UAE welcomes appointment of new transitional military council chief

"The UAE is following with a great interest this defining moment in Sudan's modern history and reiterates full trust in the ability of the Sudanese people and their national army to survive the challenges in a way that ensures stability, prosperity and development for the nation," said a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

"The UAE reaffirms its support for the steps taken by Sudan's transitional military council to protect people and property, wishing these steps would ensure security and stability for the sisterly country."

The appointment of Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan as the new head of Sudan's transitional military council represented a "step forward reflecting the ambitions of the brotherly people of Sudan towards security, stability and development," the statement added.

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02:22 Sudanese Professionals Association calls for protests to continue

It said its key demands such as restructuring of the country's powerful National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), the dissolution of militia forces that operated under Bashir and the arrest of all "corrupt leaders" involved in what it called crimes against citizens had not been met.

"There are clear demands and unless they are met, there is no escape but to publicise full rejection (of the council's moves)," an SPA statement said,

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23:33 Gunshots outside defence ministry were celebratory

Gunfire that was heard outside the defence ministry in Khartoum on Saturday turned out to be celebratory, witnesses said according to Reuters.

Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were firing guns to celebrate the promotion of the head of the RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known by his nickname Hemeti, who was appointed deputy head of Sudan's transitional military council.

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22:25 RSF chief appointed deputy head of transitional council

State TV announces that Gen Mohammed Hamdan Daglo – also known by the nickname Hametti – has been appointed deputy head of the transitional military council.

Gen Daglo has built close links to the new head Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan since the pair worked together to coordinate Sudan’s deployment to the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen.

The Rapid Support Forces is a paramilitary group that grew out of the Janjaweed militia, which operated in Darfur. The government had denied any wrongdoing by the RSF, despite international claims and the International Criminal Court indictments that say the Janjaweed carried out atrocities in Darfur.

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22:00 Cautious optimism in Khartoum

Basheer Alay, who is also participating in the sit-in, said that he is just relieved that Gen Ibn Auf is gone. In his eyes, Gen Ibn Auf was a central figure to Mr Al Bashir’s regime and his takeover risked sabotaging the uprising.

“I’m becoming more comfortable with the situation right now,” he said. “The quick fall of Ibn Auf was our first victory. Now Sudan is heading in the right direction and we can prepare for real change.”

Sudanese protestors and observers are cautiously optimistic about the future of Sudan now that Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan is heading the country’s transitional military council.

Lt Gen Al Burhan assumed leadership of the transitional council after Gen Awad Ibn Auf – Defense Minister, first vice president and an avowed Islamist – announced his resignation Friday night. The resignation came just one day after he took the helm from long-time President Omar Al Bashir. The news was widely celebrated by Sudanese protestors.

In his first televised speech on Saturday, Lt Gen Al Burhan – the third most senior army general under Mr Al Bashir’s regime – said that the military imposed curfew established the day before would be lifted. He also promised to 'uproot' Mr Al Bashir's regime and release all prisoners that were jailed during the state of emergency, which Al Bashir imposed to deter a popular revolt that eventually deposed him.

Full story: Cautious optimism in Sudan as new head of transition vows civilian rule

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21:10 Sudan's turmoil presents a new set of problems for Egypt

Decades of fraught relations meant that when the news broke that Omar Al Bashir’s 30-year rule was over, Egypt warmly welcomed the new administration. But instability next door is an ongoing concern in Cairo already watching an offensive on Tripoli by Libya’s Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

Read Hamza Hendawi’s full story on the view from Cairo

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17:42 Civilian government to be established in Sudan, says new head of military council

In his first televised address, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, the new head of Sudan's transitional military council, said on Saturday that a civilian government would be established after consultations with opposition forces and promised that the transitional period would last for a maximum of two years.

Lt Gen Al Burhan said he was cancelling a night curfew ordered by his predecessor and ordered the release of all prisoners jailed under emergency laws by ousted President Omar Al Bashir.

The alliance of opposition groups, the Freedom and Change Deceleration Forces, have agreed to with transitional military council.

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16:07 The National's editorial: A deeply precarious moment for Sudan

A formidable task now lies ahead of Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan. He faces the challenge of uniting a fractious country crippled by economic crisis, where poverty is rife and the cost of basic commodities has soared, leading to a shortage of flour and fuel. Yet there is hope on the faces of the tens of thousands of people who continue to mass outside military headquarters in Khartoum, demanding a transition to civilian rule.

Read it in full here

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15:55 Who are Sudan's military leaders?

The military's move against Omar Al Bashir was the final straw for the president's three-decade rule, here are the profiles of the men at the top.

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15:30 Pictures: Protests in Khartoum

Sudanese demonstrators gather outside the army headquarters in Khartoum. AFP A Sudanese woman dressed in a white garb surrounding clothes coloured with camouflage patters and wearing a green beret holds up a sign reading in vernacular Arabic "this is the will of the people, an Army stand supported by the [Rapid] Support [Forces]". AFP Sudanese demonstrators gather for a rally. AFP Demonstrators defied orders to break up and continue to protest. AFP Sudanese demonstrators gather during a rally demanding a civilian body to lead the transition to democracy, outside the army headquarters in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. Sudan's new military leader General Awad Ibn Ouf resigned late on April 12 just a day after being sworn in, as the country's army rulers insisted they would pave the way for a civilian government. AFP A Sudanese peddlar walks with national flags to be sold during a rally demanding a civilian body to lead the transition to democracy. AFP Sudanese soldiers flash the victory gesture. AFP A Sudanese demonstrator waves a national flag. AFP

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15:00 Head of feared intelligence service resigns

Sudan's security and intelligence chief, Salah Gosh, has resigned, according to Sudanese TV reports. Mr Gosh was head of the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) which Mr Al Bashir used to try to suppress the protests calling for the president to step down. Protesters accused the NISS of brutal tactics such as cutting female protesters’ hair, threatening detained female protesters with rape and reportedly torturing prisoners to reveal the names of protest leadership. “The police in uniform are restrained compared to NISS forces,” said one protester who spoke to The National.

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11:57 Appeals for economic aid

As Sudan's political landscape shifts, the economy is slipping further into crisis, with shortages of essential items like flour and fuel.

The IMF's forecasts for this year are of real GDP shrinking by 2.3 per cent, while consumer prices will soar by 49.6 per cent.

"We want your donations as we have some economic issues," the head of the military council's political committee, Lieutenant General Omar Zain Al Abideen, told Arab and African diplomats in a televised meeting, citing "a shortage of essential items like flour and fuel".

Read more

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11:45 United States faces a new set of challenges after Bashir's ousting

Omar Al Bashir was not a friend and at critical moments undermined Washington's interests, but the United States' dilemna in Sudan is now in seeking a civilian transition while at the same time acknowledging its limited leverage and not alienating the military leadership, writes Joyce Karam.

Experts argue that a post-Bashir transition that would guarantee “continuity and stability” may be Washington’s best bet despite the Trump administration’s lavish talk about “democratic elections" and "respect of human rights” in Sudan.

Read the full analysis here.

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11:27 Will Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan meet Sudan protesters' demands?

Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan became the third leader of Sudan in three days after Defence Minister Awad Ibn Auf stepped down after protesters demanded a "transitional civilian government" following President Omar Al Bashir's ousting on Thursday.

The military council said earlier that it expected a pre-election transition to last two years at most or much less if chaos was avoided.

Gen Ibn Auf also announced a state of emergency, a nationwide ceasefire and the suspension of the constitution, as well as the nighttime curfew from 10pm to 4am. Those steps were criticised as heavy-handed by protest groups which demanded uicker and more substantial change.

"What happened is a step in the right direction and is a bow to the will of the masses, and we have become closer to victory," said Rashid Saeed, a spokesman for the main protest group, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA).

Lt Gen Al Burhan, the new head of the transitional military council, was the inspector general of the Sudanese armed forces and its third most senior general. He is little known in public life.

He was the head of Sudan’s ground forces, a role in which he oversaw Sudanese troops who fought in the Saudi-led Yemen war. He has close ties to senior Gulf military officials as he was responsible for coordinating Sudan's military involvement in the war.

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10:10 'We toppled two presidents in two days'

Celebrations in Khartoum continued into Saturday morning after the resignation of Awad Ibn Auf, who stepped down a day after taking power from Omar Al Bashir.

Crowds of protesters waving flags chanted "we toppled two presidents in two days".

"We have done it, we have done it," shouted young men and women as they drove across Khartoum after Gen Ibn Auf announced his resignation on state television.

Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Burhan has been appointed the new leader of Sudan's transitional council.

Gen Ibn Auf appointed Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan his successor. Protest organisers however warned Lt Gen Burhan that if he failed to transfer powers to a civilian transitional government he would face their fury too.

They called on Lt Gen Al Burhan to reverse decisions announced by Gen Ibn Auf such as cancelling the suspension of the constitution and also implored him to end the state of emergency and curfews.

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09:51 Awad Ibn Auf: the Bashir veteran who held Sudan power for a day

Awad Ibn Auf. AFP

Seconds after Vice President Awad Ibn Auf announced that he would head Sudan’s military transitional government, protesters erupted in anger. The statement was broadcast over state radio on Thursday, hours after Omar Al Bashir reportedly "stepped down" after months of protests. On Friday, the military announced that Gen Ibn Auf had been replaced.

Read Mat Nashed's profile here

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03.15 Protesters celebrate resignation of Awad Ibn Auf

News of the change in military council leadership sparked joyful celebrations by many thousands in the streets of Khartoum as people chanted, "The second has fallen!" in reference to Bashir, witnesses said.

"What happened is a step in the right direction and is a bow to the will of the masses, and we have become closer to victory," Rashid Saeed, a spokesman for the main protest group, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), told Reuters.

"We are committed to our demands that we submitted to the army," he said. "We call on the masses to stay on the streets until all the demands are met."

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01.50 Sudan Police: 16 dead in protests

Sixteen people have been killed by "live ammunition" in Khartoum during ongoing protests over the past two days, Sudan's police said.

"Sixteen people died and 20 were wounded by live ammunition" as the capital saw massive gatherings during the past two days, police spokesman General Hashim Abdelrahim told AFP.

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00.01 Awad Ibn Auf steps down as transitional council leader

Awad Ibn Auf, the Sudanese Defence Minister, stepped down on Friday evening. EPA

Sudan's Defence Minister Awad Ibn Auf announced in a televised address that he is stepping down as head of the country's transitional military council, just 24 hours after assuming the position.

Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Burhan will be the new head of the transitional military council.

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21.49 Protesters prepare to defy curfew once more, vow to topple new military rulers

Demonstrators in their thousands bedded down for the evening outside army headquarters in Khartoum, chanting "it will fall again, it will fall again", witnesses said.

Dressed in white traditional clothes, men and women, headed to the military complex where protesters have massed for seven straight days. "We did it once, we can do it again," said a protester, who has been at the site of the ongoing demonstration since Tuesday night. He planned to spend another night in a row there.

Thousands took part in Friday prayers outside the gates in the searing heat, supported by Coptic Christians, who served food and drinks to worshippers ahead of their prayers.

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20.06 Military Council requests 'all political forces' to nominate delegates

The council has asked each political party to nominate two people to take part in discussions on the nation's future by Saturday at 8 am.

Once all letters have been received, a date for transition talks will be set, it announced.

#السودان #سونا| تعميم صحفي: في سبيبل سعي المجلس العسكري للاستماع لوجهات النظر لكافة القوى السياسية فقد تقرر أن يكون لقاء القوى السياسية باللجنة العسكرية السياسية وفقا للترتيب الأتي : 1. علي كل حزب سياسي تسليم خطاب بعدد إثنين ممثل مفوضين من الحزب لحضور اللقاء . pic.twitter.com/0T1K4XOOjY — SUDAN News Agency (SUNA) 🇸🇩 (@SUNA_AGENCY) April 12, 2019

The council, which is now running Sudan under Defence Minister Awad Ibn Auf, said it expects a pre-election transition period it announced on Thursday to last two years at most, or much less if chaos can be avoided.

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18:55 Sudan's army 'not greedy for power'

The head of the political committee of the transitional military council has a message for protesters on the streets of Khartoum demanding change.

"We are the protectors of the demands of the people and that is by consensus from the political entities," said Omar Zeinalabdin.

"We are not greedy for power."

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17:58 'Hundreds of thousands' protest outside defence ministry

Hundreds of thousands of protesters remain on the streets of Khartoum surrounding Sudan's defence ministry, according to Reuters.

Demonstrators have been warned by military coup leaders that there will be "zero tolerance" for disturbances.

A Sudanese demonstrator chants slogans as he protests against the army's announcement that President Omar Al Bashir would be replaced by a military-led transitional council, near Defence Ministry in Khartoum. Reuters

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17:24 Sudanese airspace reopens

Sudan's airspace has reopened following a 24-hour closure, according to flight tracking site FlightRadar24.

The shutdown, which began on Thursday afternoon, had forced a number of flights already in the air to reroute or turn back.

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16:57 Sudanese forces leader offers apology

The head of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces has apologised for taking part in the military council, Al Arabiya reports. The force led by Mohammed Hamdan Daglo is a part of the National Intelligence Security Services that Mr Al Bashir used to suppress protests. According to Sky News Arabia, the commander said his force would remain part of the armed forces and would work for national unity and respect for human rights.

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16:00 Fans fuelled ‘Alaa Saleh’ twitter account

Alaa Salah, a Sudanese woman propelled to internet fame earlier this week after clips went viral of her leading powerful protest chants against President Omar al-Bashir, attends a demonstration in front of the military headquarters in the capital Khartoum on April 10, 2019. In the clips and photos, the elegant Salah stands atop a car wearing a long white headscarf and skirt as she sings and works the crowd, her golden full-moon earings reflecting light from the fading sunset and a sea of camera phones surrounding her. Dubbed online as "Kandaka", or Nubian queen, she has become a symbol of the protests which she says have traditionally had a female backbone in Sudan. / AFP / -

A Twitter account claiming to belong to the young Sudanese protester Alaa Saleh, dubbed "Karnaka", or Nubian queen, garnered around 50,000 followers after a photo of her leading protests in Khartoum went viral earlier the week.

The account is in fact run by fans, who have been removing claims of any links to the protester.

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15:45 Protest leaders reject military's statements

The Sudanese Professionals Association, the umbrella group which is spearheading the demonstrations, is reported by Sky News Arabia to have rejected the statements by the military council.

The body described the press conference held earlier on Friday as "one of the methods or deception and absurdity" by the army.

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14:50 Friday’s announcements by Sudan’s military council

Here’s a summary of what was announced today by General Omar Zein Abedeen, head of the council’s political committee:

The military will rule for a “maximum” of two years but he claimed that under the right conditions would step aside after even one month.

Omar Al Bashir will not be extradited to face justice at the International Criminal Court but will be tried in Khartoum. Handing over Al Bashir would be "an ugly mark on Sudan”.

Bringing an end to Al Bashir’s rule "was not a coup" but a response to the people's demands.

The army wants only to "guide the country forward" and act as a "tool for change" rather than to rule for longer than a “maximum” of two years. He said of the protesters who had called for change: "We came for you."

You can read the full story here

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14:00 Military council will not hand over Bashir to international justice

The head of the political committee said that former president Omar Al Bashir will not be handed over to the International Criminal Court, where he is indicted for suspected war crimes in Darfur. However he might be tried in Sudan, he added.

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13:45 Civilians to be invited to join transitional government

The head of the political committee of Sudan's new ruling military council said a transitional government will include civilians. Members of Omar Al Bashir's National Congress Party will also be allowed to compete in eventual elections.

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13:20 Military council gives hope to protesters

Speaking at a press conference in Khartoum, a spokesman for the military council appeared to offer an olive branch to protesters when he conceded that the army might hand over power in less than the two-year period stated on Thursday.

"Two years is the maximum," he said. "If within a month Sudan is able to manage itself without any chaos, we are willing to step aside."

He said that the council's role was to oversee security and create the environment in which the Sudanese people will be able to be governed "according to their will".

The council "will not force anything on the people" and wants to create an atmosphere for peaceful dialogue.

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12:50 International reaction to the end of the Bashir era

Here’s a round-up of earlier reaction to the coup on Thursday:

A spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that the UN continued to call for member states to abide by warrants issued by the International Criminal Court.

Egypt expressed its "complete support" for Sudan's people and the army in the political transition to follow the removal of Omar Al Bashir. Cairo voiced its full belief in "the ability of the brotherly Sudanese people and their loyal national army to overcome the challenges of this critical stage to achieve stability, prosperity and development", a Foreign Ministry statement said.

US State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino called developments in Sudan a “historic moment”, but said the two-year transition put in place by the military was too long and the process “should happen sooner"

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that “brave people have called for change, but it must be real change. A military council ruling for two years is not the answer.”

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12:25 UN human rights chief issues statement

Sudanese authorities should release people held for peacefully protesting and investigate the use of force against demonstrations since December, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said.

"This is a very critical, volatile moment for Sudan and there is deep uncertainty and unease about the future," Ms Bachelet said, adding that the authorities must refrain from using force against peaceful protesters.

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11:30 Meeting with Arab and foreign diplomats

Sky News Arabia has just tweeted that the President of Sudan's Transitional Military Council has instructed the Military Political Committee to meet with Arab and foreign diplomats accredited in Khartoum this evening.

رئيس المجلس العسكري الانتقالي في السودان يكلف لجنة سياسية ـ عسكرية بعقد لقاء مع الدبلوماسيين العرب والأجانب المعتمدين في الخرطوم مساء اليوم — سكاي نيوز عربية-الآن (@SkyNewsArabia_B) April 12, 2019

Sudanese soldiers stand guard on armoured military vehicles as demonstrators continue their protest against the regime near the army headquarters in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on April 11, 2019. AFP Members of the Sudanese military gather in a street in central Khartoum on April 11, 2019, after one of Africa's longest-serving presidents was toppled by the army. AFP Members of the Sudanese security forces wave their national flag and flash the "V" for victory sign on April 11, 2019 in the capital Khartoum. AFP A Sudanese anti-regime protester kisses a soldier on the head during protests on April 11, 2019 in the area around the army headquarters in Sudan's capital Khartoum. AFP Protesters on the streets of Khartoum , Sudan EPA Protesters on the streets of Khartoum , Sudan, on April 2019. EPA Sudanese demonstrators gather in a street in central Khartoum on April 11, 2019. AFP Protesters on the streets of Khartoum , Sudan, on April 11, 2019. EPA

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10:55 Pope's gesture to South Sudan rivals

The secession of southern Sudan in 2011, to become the world's newest country, fuelled the economic woes of the north and was quickly followed by civil war.

At the Vatican on Thursday, Pope Francis knelt and kissed the feet of South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar in an act of humility to encourage them to strengthen the country's faltering peace process.

"I express my heartfelt hope that hostilities will finally cease, that the armistice will be respected, that political and ethnic divisions will be surmounted, and that there will be a lasting peace for the common good of all those citizens who dream of beginning to build the nation," he said.

Pope Francis has closed a two-day retreat with South Sudan authorities at the Vatican with an unprecedented act of respect, kneeling down and kissing the feet of the African leaders. Vatican Media via AP

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10:25 Sudan's new rulers to address the country

The military council is due to make further announcements later this morning.

On Thursday the Defence Minister, Ahmed Ibn Auf, a general who is head of the council, spoke on national television and radio and announced:

Former president Omar Al Bashir arrested

Two-year transitional period under military council

Closure of Sudanese airspace and all ports for 24 hours

Dissolution of the constitution

State of emergency for three months

Release of all political prisoners

Curfew between 10pm and 4am local time

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10:10 Sudan's economy 'the final straw' that broke Bashir

Hamza Hendawi reports that it was Sudan's economic crisis that ultimately led to the end of Omar Al Bashir's 30-year rule.

"The economy was the final straw that broke the back of the regime, which lost its legitimacy years ago but survived because the opposition was too fractured and weak to remove him," said Hany Raslan, an expert on Sudan from Egypt's Al Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

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10:00 Sudanese airspace remains closed

The country's airspace will remain closed at least until Friday afternoon.

Sudan's new military rulers on Thursday announced the closure of its airspace for 24 hours, forcing a number of flights already in the air to reroute or turn back before later flights were cancelled. They included Emirates flight EK 733, which had already departed Dubai for Khartoum when it received notice about the closure.

A number of carriers fly directly between Khartoum International Airport and cities in the UAE, including FlyDubai, Etihad Airways, Sudan Airways and Air Arabia.

Sudanese demonstrators cheer as they attend a protest rally in Khartoum. Reuters Sudanese soldiers stand on a building as demonstrators attend a protest rally. Reuters Sudanese demonstrators wave their national flag. Reuters Sudanese soldiers stand guard on armoured military vehicles as demonstrators continue their rally. AFP Sudanese anti-regime demonstrators stand on an armoured military vehicle. AFP A Sudanese anti-regime protester kisses a soldier. AFP A Sudanese girl flashes the victory sign and holds the national flag. AFP Sudanese anti-regime demonstrators, holding up a banner calling for "Freedom, Peace and Justice" carry on with their protest. AFP Sudanese demonstrators attend a protest rally. Reuters Sudanese soldiers stand guard as demonstrators continue their rally. AFP

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09:40 Statement from Federica Mogherini

The EU High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini has issued the following statement on the situation in Sudan:

For months, the people of Sudan have peacefully and with determination called for change.

As underlined by the Chairperson of African Union Commission in his statement today, a military council does not provide the answers and breaches the principles of the African Union Charter.

Only a credible and inclusive political process can meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people and lead to the political and economic reforms the country needs.

That can only be achieved through a swift handover to a civilian transitional government. In that process, all must exercise calm and utmost restraint.

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07:30 No action against protesters

There were no initial reports overnight of any action by the Sudanese armed forces against the protesters who defied the curfew in the capital Khartoum.

12 April, 12:02 am Sudan 🇸🇩 Revolutionaries chant the Sudan National Anthem At the vicinity of the Army HQs now, defying the curfew imposed by the country's new military council.#SudanUprising to achieve a civilian-led transitional government. Proud to be one of them ✌🏻🔥🇸🇩👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/V925sbm0F6 — Ahmed Aboelela (@AhmedAb45273759) April 12, 2019

Thousands turned out again, this time demanding a swift return to civilian rule rather than the two-year governance by the new military council that was announced on Thursday.

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Opposition leaders lead a two-day protest in Sudan over stalemate in negotiations between the military and opposition alliance groups over the transition of government following the 2019 Sudanese coup d'état.