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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>“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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>“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.”</p> <p>On April 11, the Sudanese army announced the “removal” of al-Bashir following months of popular protest against his 30-year rule.</p> <p>The MTC is now overseeing a two-year “transitional period” during which it has pledged to hold presidential elections.</p> <p>Demonstrators, however, have remained on the streets to demand that the MTC hand over power to an elected civilian government.