Sudan’s transition talks appear to be up in smoke after a day of deadly violence as crack troops of the Rapid Support Force (RSF) fired live ammunition on pro-democracy activists, leaving at least 12 protesters dead.
There were running battles around the army headquarters in Khartoum where protesters have maintained a sit-in to bring pressure to bear on the new military rulers to cede power to a civilian administration.
RSF troops are said to be involved in the violent crackdown which include live ammunition and teargas after they were apparently instructed to disperse thousands of protesters camped near the army headquarters for months.
The sit-in was the final rallying point after months of protests which eventually forced former president Omar Bashir from power in April.
Bashir and some of his acolytes are still being detained.
Meanwhile the movement which has been spearheading the protests has announced that it was disengaging from talks with the Transitional Military Council after Monday’s deadly incidents on the streets of Khartoum.
The military council has since denied responsibility for the latest violence saying it did not instruct the RSF to be heavy-handed on the sit-in protesters.
Last month Sudan’s new military rulers announced reaching a tentative deal with the country’s opposition alliance for a three-year transition period.
However, a key sticking point remains over who gets the lion’s share of seats in the so-called sovereign council.
Such a council will determine the real wielders of power in Sudan during the transition period before an eventual return to civilian rule.
According to the TMC after more than three weeks of talks, the opposition had agreed to occupy two-thirds of the seats in a proposed legislative council.
The deal was widely welcomed by Sudanese protesters camped outside the army headquarters in Khartoum.
However, the military rulers still appear cagey about surrendering absolute power to the opposition alliance which is demanding a majority in the sovereign council, the citadel of power.
WN/as/APA