Three generals in Sudan’s ruling Transitional Military Council have offered their resignations following demands from protestors.
The three generals – Omar Zain al-Abideen, Jalal al-Deen al-Sheikh and Al-Tayeb Babakr Ali Fadeel – are seen as staunch Islamists and allies of deposed President Omar al-Bashir and their resignation has been one of the key demands of the protest movement.
Their resignation come amid calls from protest leaders for the Transitional Military Council to hand over to a civilian administration.
Earlier Thursday about 100 Sudanese judges marched from the Supreme Court in Khartoum towards an opposition sit-in outside the Defense Ministry, joining anti-government protests and the call for civilian rule for the first time, a Reuters witness said.
Donning their black robes, some of the judges carried signs reading “judges for change” as they marched through central Khartoum, the witness said.
“Civilian, civilian, protected by the judiciary”, they chanted.
Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the opposition have been at loggerheads over how long it will take to move to civilian rule after the military removed Omar al-Bashir as president on April 11.
After ousting Bashir following months of protests against his 30-year rule, the military established the TMC to run Sudan for a period of up to two years.
However the opposition has demanded a a faster handover of power to civilians, with continued protests outside Defence Minstry demanding deeper change.
However, leading opposition figure and former prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi tole Reuters that Sudan could face a counter coup if military rulers and the opposition do not reach agreement on a handover of power to civilians.
Mahdi, Sudan’s last democratically elected premier, said hardliners in ousted president Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s National Congress Party (NCP) and its allies in the army would try to exploit the uncertainty to seize power.
“For them to attempt a counter coup is most probable. All the time they are conspiring,” Mahdi, 83, said.
