Sudan’s army rulers suspend power-sharing talks after violent street clashes
- Sudan’s army ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced negotiations would be suspended for 72 hours
- Talks focused on a three-year transition to democratic rule in the wake of long-time President Omar al-Bashir’s ouster
Sudan’s military rulers on Thursday suspended crucial talks with protesters on installing civilian rule, insisting more time was needed to finalise the deal as Khartoum’s security situation deteriorated.
But after at least eight people were reported wounded by gunshots near a sit-in outside the army complex in the capital, Sudan’s army ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced negotiations would be suspended for 72 hours.
Burhan – the chief of the ruling military council that took power after Bashir was toppled – left the door open to resume talks but demanded protesters dismantle roadblocks in Khartoum, open bridges and railway lines connecting the capital and “stop provoking security forces”.
There were “armed elements among demonstrators who were shooting at security forces”, he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, protest leaders said of the ruling military council’s decision to suspend talks.
