Sudan's military council warns of potential protests organized by opposition on Sunday

Soldiers are seen at a rally in Khartoum, Sudan, on June 29, 2019. Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC) on Saturday warned of the "presence of saboteurs and infiltrators with agenda of protests that the opposition forces intend to organize on Sunday." (Xinhua/Mohamed Khidir)

Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC) on Saturday warned of the "presence of saboteurs and infiltrators with agenda of protests that the opposition forces intend to organize on Sunday."

"Now these brothers (the opposition) are calling for million-people processions. We, as forces, are not against the people or peaceful protests, but there are saboteurs with hidden agenda," said Mohamed Hamdan Daqlu, the TMC deputy chairman, when addressing a popular rally in the capital Khartoum.

"We do not want sedition," he said.

He added that the intensive presence of military forces on the streets of Khartoum is for protecting the people, but not for attacking them.

He renewed the TMC readiness to form a civilian government, saying that "we want a civilian government, a government of competences and independent figures."

The TMC said that the opposition forces should be held responsible for any victims or harm to institutions that may occur during protest marches the opposition intends to organize on Sunday.

In the meantime, the TMC also announced that the proposal of the joint African-Ethiopian mediation constitutes a good platform to negotiate to reach a final deal that leads to the formation of transitional government institutions in Sudan.

Sudan's major opposition Freedom and Change Alliance, however, is still studying the African-Ethiopian proposal which reportedly stipulates formation of a sovereign council of 15 members and a cabinet of 18 ministers in addition to delaying formation of the legislative council.

The TMC is tasked with running Sudan's affairs after the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir in April.