Sudan army 'not serious' about handing power to civilians: protest leader

Sudanese protest leaders on Tuesday accused the army of not being serious about handing power to civilians, after differences emerged over the composition of a joint-military civilian ruling body.

"The military council is not serious about handing over power to civilians," Mohamed Naji al-Assam, a leader from the Sudanese Professionals Association, the group that is spearheading the ongoing protest movement, told reporters.

"The military council insists that the sovereign council (the joint one) should be military led with civilian representation," Assam said.

Speaking at a news conference, he said the military had been seeking to "expand its powers daily".

Assam said no new talks were scheduled on Tuesday, but the protest group would present its proposals to the army rulers "within hours".

The protest leader criticised the military council's demand to open some roads and bridges near the sit-in area outside the military headquarters.

"It doesn't make sense when you say we won't disperse the sit-in but the roads have to be opened," Assam said.