Sudan's military council and the main opposition coalition have reached an agreement to usher in a new period of transitional government, African Union mediator for Sudan Mohamed Hassan Lebatt said Saturday morning.
The document, which outlines the powers and the relationships between the branches of the transitional government, comes after weeks of protracted negotiations brokered by the African Union and neighboring Ethiopia amid sporadic bouts of violence in the capital Khartoum and other cities.
Nine soldiers from the country's most powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have been dismissed and detained in connection with the killing of protesters this week, according to Sudan's military council.
The governor of the North Kordofan state and its security council would also be held accountable for the killing of six people, including four school children.
The country's main opposition coalition, the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), welcomed the action against the RSF members, saying it would prevent further violence.
Sudan has been in a state of political turmoil since the army ousted veteran leader Omar al-Bashir in April, with dozens of demonstrators killed during street protests.
As news of the agreement emerged, people began gathering on Nile Street, a main avenue in the capital Khartoum, honking car horns and ululating in celebration.
"We're victorious!" some people chanted while others sang the national anthem.
African Union envoy to Sudan, Mohamed al-Hacen Lebatt (R), inks an agreement between Sudan's military council and the main opposition coalition, setting a three-year transition period and a joint sovereign council, in Khartoum, Sudan, July 17, 2019. /VCG Photo
Meanwhile, representatives from both sides, civilian pro-democracy groups and the military, will continue talks on Saturday over the technical details of the accord, cited Lebatt.
Legal and technical teams still need to establish a timeline for the declaration to come into effect and for the transitional government to be appointed.
Once the transitional government starts work, Sudan embarks on a three-year transition period expected lead to elections.
Future of RSF
Two key points of contention had been the role of Sudan's General Intelligence Service and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Mahmoud Drir (C), a mediator appointed by Ethiopia's prime minister for Sudan, attends the signing ceremony in Khartoum, Sudan, July 17, 2019. /VCG Photo
Formerly known as the Janjaweed, the RSF fighters armed with assault rifles, machine guns mounted on trucks and rocket-propelled grenades are widely feared. They were hardened by war in Darfur against rebels who rose up against the government.
Opposition groups have accused the RSF, led by the deputy head of Sudan's Transitional Military Council, of killing scores of protesters demanding a return to civilian rule since April.
According to a draft of the declaration, the intelligence service will report to the cabinet and the sovereign council, the body that will rule the country in the transitional period, while the RSF will fall under the general command of the armed forces.
The two sides had previously agreed that the sovereign council will be comprised of 11 members — five officers selected by the military council, five civilians chosen by the FFC coalition and another civilian to be agreed upon by both sides. Its first leader will be from the military.
When the sovereign council is formed, the country's current ruling body, a transitional military council headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, RSF commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, will be dissolved.
(With input from Reuters)