Sudan Army Chief Sacks Civilian Members Of Sovereign Council

Sudan's army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Wednesday issued a decree relieving the five civilian members of the ruling sovereign council of their duties.

The decree, however, kept the five military members of the council and the three leaders of former rebel groups in their places.

The move comes two days after al-Burhan promised on Monday to dissolve the sovereign council after the formation of a civilian government. He also said that the army will withdraw from the ongoing political talks and allow political and revolutionary groups to sit together to agree on the formation of a civilian government.

Sudan's opposition groups, however, dismissed the offer as a "maneuver" by the military to win more time.

Sudan has been in turmoil since last October when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government, a move decried by political forces as a "military coup."

More than 100 people have been killed in protests against the military since October, according to Sudanese medics.

Talks aimed at resolving the months-long political crisis in the country started last month amid a boycott of the country's main opposition groups. -