UPDATE – Sudan envoy on ‘short leave’: Qatar

UPDATES WITH SUDAN’S COMMENT

By Ahmed Youssef

DOHA (AA) – Qatar has denied reports about Sudan summoning its envoy in Doha, saying the diplomat was on a "short leave".

Media reports earlier said Sudan’s ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) had recalled the Sudanese ambassador in Doha, shortly after Khartoum banned the Qatar-funded Al Jazeera television.

But Qatari Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Lulwa Al-Khater described on Twitter the reports about the envoy’s departure as “untrue”.

"We do not know the source of the news, and we did not receive an official note in this regard," she said.

Al-Khater said that the Sudanese envoy has sent a note to the Qatari Foreign Ministry that he will be on a “short leave”.

Sudanese Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, confirmed that the ambassador has been summoned for consultations.

In a statement, the ministry said the envoy will leave Khartoum for Doha within hours to resume his work.

In early April, Sudan’s military establishment deposed long-serving President Omar al-Bashir following months of popular demonstrations against his 30-year rule.

The TMC is now overseeing a two-year transitional period during which it has pledged to hold presidential elections. Demonstrators, however, have remained on the streets to demand that the TMC relinquish power -- at the earliest possible date -- to a civilian authority.

* Writing by Ali Abo Rezeg