A decree relieving the five civilian members of the ruling sovereign council of their duties was issued by Sudan’s army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Wednesday.
However, the decree kept the five military members of the council and the three leaders of former rebel groups in their places.
The development comes amid a promise by al-Burhan on Monday to dissolve the sovereign council after the formation of a civilian government. He added that the army will withdraw from the ongoing political talks and allow talks between political and revolutionary groups on the formation of a civilian government.
The offer, however, was dismissed by Sudan’s opposition groups as a “maneuver” by the military to win more time.
Since last October, when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s transitional government, a move decried by political forces as a “military coup,” Sudan has been in turmoil.
According to Sudanese medics, more than 100 people have been killed in protests against the military since October.
Amid a boycott of the country’s main opposition groups, talks aimed at resolving the months-long political crisis in the country started last month.
