Sudanese to hold mass rally amid standoff with generals

A group of protesters repeat revolutionary chants against military rule and demand the prosecution of members of the ousted government of long-ruling President Omar al-Bashir, at the Armed Forces Square, in Khartoum, Sudan, Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Sudan’s ruling military council on Tuesday warned protesters against any further “chaos” as organizers called for mass rallies later this week. (AP Photos/Salih Basheer)

KHARTOUM, Sudan – Sudan's protest movement plans to hold a mass rally as it steps up pressure on the military to hand over power to civilians following last month's overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir.

The Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, a coalition led by the Sudanese Professionals Association, has called for a million-person march to begin at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT) Thursday.

The protesters have been holding negotiations with the transitional military council over the creation of a new sovereign council, but the two sides remain divided over how large a role the generals should have in it.

The protesters fear the military intends to hold onto power or cut a deal with other factions that would leave much of al-Bashir's regime intact.