Sudan Reportedly Arrests Officials from Ousted Bashir’s Ruling Party

Sudanese authorities have arrested top members of the party of overthrown president Omar Al-Bashir, and the country’s Transitional Military Council (TMC) said it would sack all eight of the officers ranked lieutenant general in the National Intelligence and Security Service, Reuters reported, citing an anonymous source in Bashir’s National Congress Party. The arrests could bolster the current military rulers, who are facing pressure by protesters to hand over power to civilians. The TMC has said it intends to govern through a transition period of up to two years, but protesters are still on the streets calling for democracy now. The African Union has threatened to suspend Sudan’s membership unless an interim civilian government replaces the TMC within the next 15 days. The United States reportedly will retain Sudan on its list of state sponsors of terrorism until the military relinquishes power. On April 11, following months of anti-government protests, the Sudanese army forced Bashir to resign after 30 years in power.