Sudan's military council denies attempts to disperse sit-in at army headquarters

KHARTOUM - Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC) on Sunday denied attempts to disperse a sit-in by thousands of Sudanese protesters in front of the army's general headquarters in Khartoum.

"A number of social media and local media outlets circulated reports that there were attempts by the armed forces and other regular forces to disperse the sit-in by force," the TMC said in a statement.

"We reiterate to all the citizens and the protesters at the sit-in ... that this talk is completely baseless," the statement added.

The council, however, warned some groups not to block major roads in the capital Khartoum, saying "such a matter is totally rejected as it creates a kind of chaos which needs the authorities concerned to decisively address."

Meanwhile, the major opposition Freedom and Change Alliance accused regular forces of attempting to disperse the sit-in.

"There are attempts to disperse the sit-in, where we reiterate that we will not allow that," the alliance said in a statement.

The alliance called on the citizens in the neighborhoods of the capital and the neighboring areas to come out in rallies and head to the sit-in area in front of the army's headquarters.

The TMC, chaired by Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, is tasked with running Sudan's affairs following the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir.