Ethiopia PM Visits Sudan After African Union Suspends Sudan over military crackdown

Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, together with his delegation, arrived in Khartoum, Sudan this morning for talks with the Chief of the Sudanese Transitional Military Council, Lt. Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

During his Sudan visit, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also held discussions with members of the Forces for Freedom and Change as part of mediation efforts underway. He expressed Ethiopia’s commitment to fostering peace in the region and underlined that unity is a prerequisite for restoring peace in Sudan.

The African Union says it has suspended Sudan from all activities until a civilian-led government is formed.

The AU Peace and Security Council announced the suspension Thursday as protest leaders in Sudan rejected an offer from the ruling military council to negotiate the country’s political future.

The #AU Peace and Security Council has with immediate effect suspended the participation of the Republic of #Sudan in all #AU activities until the effective establishment of a Civilian-led Transitional Authority, as the only way to allow the Sudan to exit from the current crisis pic.twitter.com/ioBlnfnxcl

— African Union Political Affairs Peace and Security (@AUC_PAPS) June 6, 2019

The protest leaders said the call for talks is insincere following this week’s deadly crackdown on demonstrators in Khartoum, which witnesses blamed on the militia known as the Rapid Support Forces.

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Doctors allied with the opposition said the death toll from the crackdown had risen to 108 as of Wednesday. The Sudanese Health Ministry issued a statement that said the number is “no more than 46.”

This is a developing story, Please check back at the Horndiplomat for Updates.

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