Following widespread condemnation of Sudan’s security highhandedness against its civilian populace, Sudan’s military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said on Monday the army would make way for a civilian government and would withdraw from UN-backed national dialogue.
Burhan said the decision was taken “to make room for political and revolutionary forces and other national factions” to form a civilian government.
This is coming months after the October coup ousted civilians from a transitional administration. It was greeted by international criticism and aid, the latest in the northeast African country. Burhan’s televised announcement surprised anti-coup demonstrators, hundreds of whom were on the fifth day of sit-in demonstrations after last Thursday saw the deadliest violence so far this year.
Last month, a protester was shot and killed in the Sudanese city of Omdurman by security forces. Nine demonstrators lost their lives, according to pro-democracy physicians, bringing to 114 the number murdered and 629 injured by security forces in the crackdown against anti-coup protesters since October.
Thousands of Sudanis thronged to the streets on Thursday, almost matching numbers at the peak of demonstrations after the coup. Although near-weekly rallies have continued, they appeared to decline in intensity before reigniting last week with the same demand: an end to military rule.
“The armed forces will not stand in the way” of democratic transition, Burhan said in his address, affirming the military’s commitment to working towards “elections in which the Sudanese people choose who will govern them.”
Weeks following the coup, the military and civilian leaders had agreed to a July 2023 general elections. Sudan’s main civilian players had boycotted the talks with military leaders launched under international auspices last month in an effort to restore the transition. The United Nations, the African Union and regional bloc IGAD facilitated the dialogue.