Sudan's Burhan Sworn In to Lead New Ruling Body

This morning, Sudan's top general Abdel-Fattah Burhan has sworn in to lead a joint military-civilian body, which is agreed to run the country for a little over three years until elections can be held.

The official SUNA news agency says Gen. Burhan was sworn in before the country's top judge to lead the 11-member Sovereign Council for the first 21 months, followed by a civilian leader for the next 18.

The Council was established under a power-sharing agreement between the military and the protesters, amid growing concerns the political crisis could ignite a civil war.

Earlier, Burhan chaired a military council that took over after ousting President Omar al-Bashir in April following moths of protests against his three-decade-rule.

The unrest in Sudan can be traced back to December 2018, when then President Bashir’s government imposed emergency austerity measures to try to stave off economic collapse.

Cuts to bread and fuel subsidies sparked demonstrations in the east over living standards and the anger spread to the capital, Khartoum.

The protests broadened into demands for the removal of Bashir – who had been in charge for 30 years – and his government.

Since then, the protesters remained in the streets, with scattered violence happening every now and then, and consistent demands of a rapid transition to civilian leadership.

Earlier this week, Sudan’s ousted President appeared inside a caged dock in a courtroom during his first appearance in a trial over charges of possessing foreign currency, corruption and receiving gifts illegally.

Al-Bashir’s trial was scheduled to be held on Saturday but it was postponed due to it coincided with the final signing of the transitional government’s documents.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant for his arrest to answer charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity but Sudan has insisted it would not hand him over.

Thousands of people were killed, maimed and tortured in Darfur.

The United Nations estimated that between 200,000 and 400,000 people died in the conflict, with a further 2.7 million displaced. Militia formed and directed by Al-Bashir are blamed for the worst atrocities.