NAIROBI, June 7: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has on Friday arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to hold a meeting with Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC) chief Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, according to his office.
“Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, together with his delegation, arrived in Khartoum, Sudan this morning for talks,” Abiy’s office said on Twitter.
A diplomatic source has on Thursday said Ethiopia, where African Union is based, has planned to mediate efforts in Sudan between the TMC and the opposition alliance.
Sudanese protesting group leaders have on Wednesday totally dismissed the Transitional Military Council (TMC) offer to resume negotiations as the opposition-linked doctors reported death toll rising to more than 100 since a violent dispersal of demonstrators in the capital Khartoum near the army headquarter.
The head of the army council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has said the body was prepared to restart talks, claiming there would be “no restrictions” in negotiations with the leaders.
On a televised address, Burhan said, “We in the military council extend our hand for negotiations without shackles except for interests of the homeland.”
However, the alliance of opposition groups and protesters dismissed the offer, stating the army council could not be trusted.
The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) spokesperson Mohammed Yousef al-Mustafa said the alliance “totally reject” Burhan’s call.