By Adel Abdel-Rahim</p> <p>KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) – Top Sudanese military officers are reportedly conducting intense consultations to form an interim ruling council.</p> <p>Earlier Thursday, President Omar al-Bashir stepped down in the wake of continued calls for his resignation. </p> <p>Observers told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity that the move comes before an expected official statement on the stepping down of al-Bashir.</p> <p>Al-Bashir is now under house arrest and his bodyguards have been detained, local media reported. </p> <p>Meanwhile, Sudanese military intelligence rounded up more than 100 executives of the ruling National Congress Party. </p> <p>Among those arrested were former Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein, former Vice President Ali Osman Taha and ruling party head Ahmed Haroun.</p> <p>However, Salah Gosh, head of the Sudanese intelligence service, was not among the arrested figures, sources familiar with the matter anonymously told Anadolu Agency due to fear of reprisal.</p> <p>The sources suggested that Gosh could have a strong role in today's change.</p> <p>In November 2013, Gosh was detained as he was accused of participation in a foiled military coup attempt. He was acquitted later due to insufficient evidence.</p> <p>Earlier, Sudan's state TV announced the army would make an important announcement soon.</p> <p>Hundreds of Sudanese protesters on Wednesday staged a sit-in outside army headquarters in the capital for the fifth day in a row amid continued calls for al-Bashir to step down.</p> <p>Since Saturday, at least 22 people have been killed in clashes between demonstrators and security forces, which have repeatedly tried to disperse the sit-in by force, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors.</p> <p>The police, for their part, said that only a single protester was killed.</p> <p>Sudan has been shaken by protests since last December, with demonstrators demanding the departure of al-Bashir, who has ruled Sudan since 1989.
*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat
