'General elections within a year': Sudan’s military

By Bahram Abdul Monim and Ahmed Assem

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) - Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC) reiterated Thursday to hold general elections within a year.

"Freedom and Change Coalition (FCC) called for a transitional period of four years but we insist on a year-long transition period," Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, deputy chairman of the TMC, said in a local meeting in the capital Khartoum.

"We will not form a technocrat government until a consensus with all political parties is reached," Daglo said.

He went on to say that the TMC wishes to reach "a comprehensive solution without exclusion," adding that the African Union (AU) and the international community could be "involved" in monitoring the elections.

The FCC, however, called in different occasions on the TMC to hand over power to "fully" civilian government.

On Wednesday, the TMC said it is ready to engage in talks with the opposition amid tension since the ouster of autocrat President Omar al-Bashir.

Sudan has remained in turmoil since April 11, when the military establishment deposed Bashir after months of popular protests against his 30-year rule.

The TMC is now overseeing a “transitional period” during which it has pledged to hold free presidential elections.

The military council Tuesday said that it will draw up a transitional technocrat government.

Protests across the nation, however, have continued to demand that the TMC hand over power -- at the earliest possible date -- to a civilian authority.