No end in sight for civilian-military crisis in Sudan

The head of the Sudanese military and chairman of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has recently called for the dissolution of the transitional government, in the latest escalation against his civilian partners in the government, at a time when the country is hit by a severe political and economic crisis that may undermine the fragile democratic transition.

Speaking to Sudanese army commanders in Khartoum Oct. 11, Burhan said that the only solution to the political and legislative crisis in the country is the dissolution of the current Cabinet and the expansion of the political parties’ participation in governance.

Burhan further called for the need to “speed up the formation of the constitutional court, the appointment of an independent chief of justice and the formation of a parliament that represents all the people, while excluding the former ruling party,” in reference to the National Congress Party of deposed President Omar al-Bashir.

Since the failed coup attempt against Sudan's transitional government Sept. 21, tension has flared between the military and civilian leaders in Sudan, with the two sides accusing each other of seeking to monopolize power.