"We shouldn't provoke the army council by trying to deprive them of their legitimacy, by depriving them of their positive role in the revolution," National Umma Party chief Sadiq al-Mahdi told AFP in an interview. DEADLOCKMr Mahdi's warning comes amid a deadlock in talks between the protest leaders and the 10-member army council over the forming of a joint civilian-military body that will replace the existing army body. Protest leader Mohamed Naji al-Assam said on Tuesday that the military had been seeking to "expand its powers daily". In a move to step up pressure on the army rulers, the protest movement's leaders have called for a "million-strong march" on Thursday. "If we provoke the... armed forces which contributed to the change, we would be asking for trouble," said the opposition leader, dressed in a traditional Sudanese turban and robe.

Source: Daily Nation May 01, 2019 16:30 UTC