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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

US Welcomes Sudan Deal as Opposition Calls off Civil Disobedience

Sudanese demonstrators wave the national flag as they attend a protest rally outside the Defense Ministry in Khartoum, Sudan, April 10, 2019. (Reuters)

The United States on Saturday welcomed a provisional agreement forged by Sudan’s ruling military council and a coalition of opposition and protest groups to share power for three years as an “important step forward.”

The two parties agreed on Friday to form a joint ruling body, which in turn is to install a transitional civilian administration -- protesters' main demand.

“The agreement between the Forces for Freedom and Change and the Transitional Military Council to establish a sovereign council is an important step forward,” the State Department said.

“We look forward to immediate resumption of access to the internet, establishment of the new legislature, accountability for the violent suppression of peaceful protests, and progress towards free and fair elections.”

It added that special envoy for Sudan Donald Booth will return to the region soon.

The agreement brokered by the African Union and Ethiopia Union, announced on Friday, is due to be finalized on Monday.

It revived hopes for a peaceful transition of power in a country plagued by internal conflicts and years of economic crisis that helped to trigger the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir in April.

Earlier, the Forces for Freedom and Change cancelled a nationwide day of civil disobedience that was planned for later this month after reaching the deal with the military.

Prominent protest leaders Ahmed al-Rabie and Khalid Omar confirmed to AFP that the civil disobedience campaign had been cancelled.

"It is to give room for the agreement" to be implemented, Rabie said.

Relations between the military council that took over from Bashir and the Forces for Freedom and Change alliance broke down when security forces killed dozens of people as they cleared a sit-in on June 3. But after huge protests against the military on Sunday, African mediators brokered a return to direct talks.

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