Sudanese continue protesting to demand civilian rule

KHARTOUM (AA) - Thousands continued to protest on Friday outside army headquarters in Khartoum to demand that Sudan’s ruling Military Transitional Council (MTC) hand over power to a civilian authority.

In a Friday sermon delivered near the protest, Adam Ibrahim, a prominent preacher, urged the MTC to prosecute figures close to ousted President Omar al-Bashir for violence perpetrated against protesters during recent demonstrations.

“Sudan’s revolution stands for freedom and justice for the oppressed,” he said, calling on protesters to continue demonstrating until all their demands are met.

Stressing the army’s “important role” in protecting the country and its borders, Ibrahim urged the MTC to swiftly relinquish power to a civilian administration.

“We don’t want to leave the army in power for another year or two,” he asserted. “We’ve already had three decades of military rule.”

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

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

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