Khartoum - "A number" of soldiers have been taken into custody
following the killing of dozens of peaceful protesters in Khartoum
last week, Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC) said late
Monday.
In a statement published by state-run news agency Suna, the council
said "preliminary evidence" had been found "against a number of
elements of the regular forces who were then put in military custody,
prior to referring them to the judicial authorities in an urgent
manner."
"The Transitional Military Council affirms that there will be no
delay in holding accountable all those found guilty in accordance
with the regulations and laws," it continued.
A doctors' association has said security forces killed about 100
people and injured about 500 others during a crackdown on a mass
sit-in in Khartoum on June 3.
The protesters are demanding that the TMC, which has been in power
since long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir was deposed and arrested in a
peaceful military coup in April, hand power to a civilian-led
government.
On Monday most shops in the capital were closed on what was the
second day of a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience called by
the opposition.
On Sunday dozens of opposition supporters were arrested, including
two of their leaders.
An attempt at mediating the crisis between the TMC and opposition
groups by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who had met with both
sides in Khartoum on Friday, is yet to show results.
Late Monday, Washington announced that its top Africa diplomat, Tibor
Nagy, would head to Sudan and meet with members of the opposition and
the TMC.
"He will call for a cessation of attacks against civilians and urge
parties to work toward creating an enabling environment ... for talks
to resume," the US State Department said in a statement.
Nagy, the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, is also
set to discuss the Sudan crisis with African Union and Ethiopian
officials in Ethiopia and will also travel to Mozambique and South
Africa on his trip, which is to begin on Wednesday and last until
June 23.