Sudan's opposition demands transfer of power to civilian gov't

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01:35

‍Sudan's opposition Freedom and Change Alliance Friday urged the new leadership of the Transitional Military Council to transfer power to a transitional civilian government.

The alliance brings together the Sudanese Professionals Association, the National Consensus Forces' Alliance, Sudan Call Forces and the opposition unionist group.

Sudanese demonstrators gather for Friday prayers as they protest against the army's announcement that president Omar al-Bashir would be replaced by a military-led transitional council, in Khartoum, Sudan, April 12, 2019. /Reuters Photo

"We urge the new leadership of the army, top of them Lt. Gen. Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan Abdel-Rahman, to listen to the voice of the street and immediately embark on transferring the power to a transitional civilian government through the leadership council of the freedom and change alliance," said the alliance in a statement Friday.

It further urged the new army leadership to cancel the decisions made by the previous military council regarding suspension of the constitution and imposition of the state of emergency and curfew.

Earlier on Friday, chairman of Sudan's transitional military council Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf announced his resignation. He named Lt. Gen. Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan Abdel-Rahman as his successor.

The alliance urged the protesters to continue their sit-in before the army's general headquarters.

UN urges Sudanese army to refrain from using violence against protesters

China: Closely watching development of Sudan situation

Regarding the turbulence in Sudan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said Friday that China is closely watching the development of the situation in Sudan.

"China has always pursued the principle of non-interference in another country's internal affairs, we believe that Sudan has the ability to handle internal affairs and safeguard the peace and stability of the country," Lu said during a regular press briefing.

EU calls for meeting on Sudan

Five EU members of the United Nations Security Council – Britain, France, Belgium, Poland and Germany – called on the parties in the conflict to exercise restraint, they also have called for a council meeting to discuss the situation in Sudan, said the council president on Friday.

"We, of course, believe that there has to be a peaceful solution to the conflict, and the solution has to reflect the will of the people," said German Ambassador to the United Nations Christoph Heusgen.

(Cover: Sudanese military officers and demonstrators ride atop a military tanker as they protest against the army's announcement that President Omar al-Bashir would be replaced by a military-led transitional council, near Defense Ministry in Khartoum, Sudan, April 12, 2019. /Reuters Photo)

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency