Protests in Sudan demand army leave power, reject deal

By ASHRAF IDRIS

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of Sudan’s capital demanding the ouster of its military rulers and rejecting a deal for the gradual transfer of power to civilian leaders. Demonstrators on Thursday headed for the Republican Palace in Khartoum, the seat of the country’s ruling military council, before being intercepted by security forces who fired tear gas and water hoses at the crowds. Thursday’s protest is led by a grassroots pro-democracy group that has rejected any negotiations with Sudan’s army leaders after a military coup last year. A new agreement for the transfer of power to civilians appears to offer only the vaguest outlines for a road to democracy. Both the U.N. and the U.S. have encouraged further talks between all parties.