Sudan’s TMC Calls for ‘Unconditional’ Resumption of Talks with Protesters

Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC) says that talks on the transition of power should resume without preconditions amid demonstrations by protest leaders who are pushing for civilian rule. Despite the appeal by the military, the activists have set multiple conditions for talks, including a military withdrawal from cities, the resumption of Internet service and an international investigation into a deadly raid on their sit-in site earlier this month. Talks between the two sides collapsed due to the military’s aggressive crackdown on demonstrators, which has killed at least 128 people, although government health authorities have offered a death toll of 61. The two sides have been at odds ever since the overthrow of president Omar Al-Bahir on April 11. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was in Khartoum earlier this month in an attempt to mediate the situation, but to no avail.