Sudan: Members of ousted president's party arrested

KHARTOUM

Sudanese authorities arrested senior members of ousted president Omar al-Bashir's National Congress Party.

According to the reports on local media, al-Bashir's former Vice President Ali Osman Taha, former Vice Chairman Nafie Ali Nafie and former Speaker of the Sudanese National Assembly Ibrahim al Tahir were all sent to Kobar high-security prison in capital Khartoum.

Previously on the operations held for the National Congress members the Parliament Speaker Ibrahim Ahmed Omer, former Khartoum mayor Abdulrahman Hazir, former ministry of defense Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein and some businessman were also sent to prison.

The Sudanese military had deposed President Omar al-Bashir, who has ruled Sudan since 1989, following months of popular protests against his rule.

The military also established a military council to run the country for a transitional period of two years.

Daqlo has refused to join the transitional council, saying his forces would continue to work to maintain Sudan's unity under the umbrella of the armed forces.

"I have decided not to join the military council until the people's demands are fulfilled," he said on Saturday.

On Friday, Defense Minister Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf resigned as head of the ruling military council and appointed Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah Burhan in his place.

Abdel-Fattah Burhan, president of Sudan’s ruling MTC, lifted the curfew as soon as he took office and promised commitment to human rights and a timetable for a civilian government.

*Writing by Dilara Hamit from Ankara