Notwithstanding disagreements over the inclusion of a paramilitary group that has twice prevented the signature of a definitive agreement, the leader of the Sudanese army stated on Thursday that he was still committed to a plan for a fresh transition leading to elections.
The pact is designed to fill the political void left by the October 2021 coup, and it calls for the establishment of a civilian government. It has the strong backing of the international community.
The deal is opposed by pro-democracy “resistance committees” who refuse talks with the military and have organized anti-military demonstrations ever since the coup that wrecked a previous political transition. To commemorate the fourth anniversary of the 2019 sit-in that resulted in the toppling of long-time dictatorial leader Omar al-Bashir, they planned rallies for Thursday.
According to political and military sources, tensions between the army and RSF have recently surfaced over the suggested timetable for the RSF’s integration into the military. According to the sources, the army wants two years, the RSF wants ten years, and the restructuring must include internal reform within the army.