Sudan opposition urges public to defend Khartoum sit-in

KHARTOUM

Sudan’s opposition Freedom and Change Alliance on Monday called on “all revolutionaries” to converge on army headquarters in Khartoum to protect a weeks-long sit-in, where protesters continue to demand civilian rule.

In a statement, the opposition alliance said army troops were attempting to remove barricades set up earlier by protesters to protect the ongoing sit-in.

The alliance called on “all revolutionaries” to converge on the area “in order to safeguard the sit-in, protect the revolution, and resist these repeated attempts to remove the barricades”.

It went on to describe the latter development as “a step taken in preparation for dispersing the sit-in and undermining the revolution”.

Organizers of the sit-in, which began in early April, demand that Sudan’s ruling Military Transitional Council (MTC) hand over power to a civilian authority.

On April 11, the Sudanese army announced the “removal” of President Omar al-Bashir following months of popular protests against his 30-year rule.

The MTC is now overseeing a two-year post-Bashir “transitional period” during which it has pledged to hold free presidential elections.

Demonstrators, however, have remained on the streets to demand that the MTC hand over power -- at the earliest possible date -- to an elected civilian government.