Sudan's opposition rejects talks with army after deadly violence

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Sudan's military rulers offered to resume talks with opposition groups on Wednesday, two days after deadly clashes between security forces and protesters in Khartoum, but the opposition rejected the invitation.

Medics linked to the opposition said the death toll from the latest unrest had risen to 108 and that it was expected to increase further. But state news agency SUNA reported early on Thursday that no more than 46 people had been killed, citing a health ministry official.

The clashes, 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 rule.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman talks to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (L), head of Sudan's ruling Transitional Military Council, during a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, June 1, 2019. /VCG Photo

The Transitional Military Council canceled all agreements it had reached with the opposition immediately after the raid but on Wednesday it rowed back 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.

Sudanese protesters gesture and chant slogans at a barricade along a street, demanding that the country's Transitional Military Council hand over power to civilians, in Khartoum, Sudan, June 5, 2019. /Reuters Photo

The United Nations said on Wednesday it is temporarily removing some civilian staff from Sudan because of the security situation in the country.

Washington on Wednesday called on Sudan's military rulers to "desist from violence" and urged talks with protesters to resume.

"The United States condemns the recent attacks on protesters in Sudan," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement, calling for "a civilian-led transition that leads to timely elections and free expression of the will of the Sudanese people."

Saudi Arabia, a major backer of the military rulers, had earlier sought a resumption of "dialogue between the various parties of Sudan."

At a regular press briefing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang reiterated that China has been closely following the situation.

"We hope Sudan can maintain stability, smoothly carry out the political transition and get onto the normal track of development as soon as possible," he said. "In the meantime, China believes that the international community should respect Sudanese people's independent choice and adhere to the principle of non-interference in others' domestic affairs."

(With inputs from Reuters, AFP)

(Cover: A Sudanese protester holds a national flag as he stands on a barricade along a street, demanding that the country's Transitional Military Council hand over power to civilians, in Khartoum, Sudan, June 5, 2019. /Reuters Photo)

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