Alghadeer TV Alghadeer TV
Hundreds of people have rallied in coup-hit Sudan to support a new military-backed initiative which purportedly aims to end the country’s persisting political crisis.
According to Press TV, the demonstration was held in the capital Khartoum on Sunday outside a conference hall where meetings have been held since a day earlier by a newly-established initiative which claims to resolve the crisis that has plagued the nation for the past few years.
“The Call of Sudan’s People” was launched last month by renowned Sufi religious leader Al-Tayeb Al-Jed. The initiative is backed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the Army Chief who last year spearheaded a military coup that blocked a transition to civilian rule following the 2019 ouster of President Omar al-Bashir.
In a televised address on Sunday, Burhan called on all Sudanese factions to join efforts to bring Sudanese people together to what he called “continue the transition and pave the way for elections.” He claimed the army is siding with the people’s aspirations for “democratic rule under an elected civilian government.”
The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), Sudan’s main civilian bloc which was ousted from power in the coup, did not join the initiative.
The initiative also held a conference on Saturday and diplomats from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the African Union attended it. At the time, Al-Jed said in a speech that the initiative purportedly brought together some 120 political parties and multiple factions, including Sufi orders and tribal leaders.
The initiative aims to tackle “the economic deterioration” in Sudan, “achieve peace and security” and ensure that elections scheduled for next year are held “with integrity”, he said. Burhan promised in a televised address last month to step aside and make way for Sudanese factions to reach an agreement on a civilian government.
