Leaders of Sudan’s pro-democracy movement welcomed on Friday the power-sharing agreement with the ruling military council as a victory for their “revolution,” raising hopes for an end to the three-month standoff with the generals and deadly violence.
“Today, our revolution has won and our victory shines,” read a post on the Facebook page of the Sudanese Professionals’ Association, which has spearheaded the protests.
The emerging deal could break the political impasse that has gripped the country since the military ousted longtime President Omar al-Bashir in April. Since then, protesters stayed on the streets demanding that the generals handover power to a civilian leadership. Talks collapsed when security forces razed a protest camp in Khartoum on June 3 leaving more than a hundred killed, according to protesters.
The African Union and Ethiopia made intensive efforts to bring the generals and the protesters back to the negotiating table. Negotiations resumed earlier this week, after protest broke out across major cities.
The two parties agreed to form a joint sovereign council to lead the country during a transitional period of three years and three months, said the post.
The council will include five civilians representing the protest movement and five military members. An eleventh seat will go to a civilian chosen by both parties.
