KHARTOUM, Sudan

The Sudanese Professionals Association, an activist coalition in the protests against former President Omar al-Bashir, on Sunday rejected UN-facilitated talks to solve the country’s political crisis.

On Saturday, the UN mission in Sudan launched a UN-facilitated intra-Sudanese political process in an effort to salvage Sudan’s transition to democracy.

Volker Perthes, the head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), said the "process will be inclusive."

"We categorically reject this call, which seeks to push towards normalization with the military council and its authority,” SPA said in a statement.

It said a solution to Sudan’s political crisis begins with the “complete overthrow of the military council and bringing its members to justice.”

Sudan has been in turmoil since Oct. 25 when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government and declared a state of emergency.

Prior to the military takeover, Sudan was governed by a sovereign council of military and civilian officials tasked with overseeing the transition period until elections in 2023.

Hamdok resigned Jan. 2, six weeks after he returned to his post in a deal with army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, an agreement rejected by most political groups in Sudan.

On Saturday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke with al-Burhan and stressed the need to form a civilian government.

* Writing by Bassel Barakat