An image grab from a broadcast on Sudan TV shows Lieutenant General Omar Zain al-Abdin, the head of the political military committee assigned by the chief of the new military council, addressing a press conference on April 12, 2019 in the capital Khartoum
KHARTOUM: Sudan's ruling military council on Friday promised the country would have a new civilian government, a day after the armed forces overthrew President Omar al-Bashir.
The council, which is now running Sudan under Defence Minister Mohammed Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf, said it expects a pre-election transition period it announced on Thursday to last two years at most or much less if chaos can be avoided.
The council also announced that it would not extradite Bashir to face allegations of genocide at the international war crimes court. Instead he would go on trial in Sudan.
Friday's announcement of a civilian government by the head of the military council's political committee, General Omar Zain al-Abideen, appeared aimed at reassuring demonstrators who took to the streets to warn against imposing army rule after Bashir's overthrow.
Abideen pledged that the military council would not interfere with the civilian government. However he said the defence and interior ministries would be under the council's control.
NOT GREEDY FOR POWER
He said the military council had no solutions to Sudan's crisis and these would come from the protesters.
"We are the protectors of the demands of the people," he said. "We are not greedy for power."
Earlier on Friday, thousands of Sudanese demonstrators camped outside the defence ministry to push for a civilian government, defying a curfew and calling for mass prayers.
Demonstrators who have been holding almost daily anti-Bashir protests have rejected the decision to set up a transitional military council and vowed to continue protests until a civilian government is established.
Activists called for mass Friday prayers outside the defence ministry compound, a focal point for protests.
At the compound, large tents were put up and people brought in food and handed out water as the crowd swelled, a Reuters witness said. Ahmed al-Sadek, a 39-year-old trader, said he had not slept at his home since the sit-in began on Saturday.
Activists wearing yellow vests controlled traffic around the compound on Friday morning and managed foot traffic to and from the sit-in, a Reuters witness said. They also blocked a major bridge in central Khartoum.
