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‘The Possibility of Violence Is Very Real’

Sudan’s transition hangs in the balance, says Zachariah Mampilly, an expert on protest movements and African politics.

By , an editorial fellow at Foreign Policy in 2019.
Sudanese protesters gather for a sit-in outside military headquarters in Khartoum on May 15.
Sudanese protesters gather for a sit-in outside military headquarters in Khartoum on May 15.
Sudanese protesters gather for a sit-in outside military headquarters in Khartoum on May 15. MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP/Getty Images

Sudan’s Transitional Military Council, which rapidly moved into the vacuum left by ex-President Omar al-Bashir, isn’t looking to step out of the spotlight and allow a civilian-led transition to democracy just yet. On Thursday, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the military’s interim government, announced that it would halt any talks with representatives of the uprising for 72 hours. The two sides had reportedly been on the verge of closing a deal to form a new, 300-seat legislative council that would govern the country for three years before holding elections.

Jefcoate O'Donnell was an editorial fellow at Foreign Policy in 2019. Twitter: @brjodonnell

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