Sudan deal charts route to elections
STORY: Sudan's military and political parties signed a framework deal on Monday (December 5) for a two-year civilian-led transition towards elections.
The aim is to end a standoff triggered by a coup in October 2021.
Mass protests against the military have raged ever since.
The coup also saw billions of dollars in international financial assistance suspended, deepening an economic crisis.
Under the framework agreement, the military - which has led the government since the coup - agreed it would only be represented on a security and defense council headed by a prime minister.
Addressing signatories to the deal, Sudan's military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan repeated a protest slogan - stating that the military belongs in the barracks.
At the signing ceremony attendees chanted: "The revolution is the choice of the people, freedom, peace, and justice."
The agreement has already faced opposition from anti-military groups and Islamist factions loyal to the regime of former leader Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in 2019.
Sensitive issues, including transitional justice and security sector reform, have also been left for later talks.
An eyewitness reported that demonstrations had broken out in at least two areas of the capital Khartoum before the signing ceremony at the presidential palace.
