SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources – Sudan swears in civilian-majority ruling sovereign council

21/8/19: Multiple sources – Sudan swears in civilian-majority ruling sovereign council

• AFP

• Reuters

• AP, by Samy Magdy

 Sudan took further steps in its transition towards civilian rule with the swearing in of a new sovereign council. The sovereign council will replace the transitional military council (TMC) as Sudan’s ruling body.

 The Forces of Freedom and Change picked five council members, the military picked another five, and the two sides jointly chose a civilian – Coptic Christian judge, Raja Nicholas Issa - as the 11th member of the council.

 Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, who already headed the TMC, was sworn in as the chairman of the new sovereign council. He will be Sudan's head of state for the first 21 months of the 39-month transition period, until a civilian takes over for the remainder.

 The military also picked TMC deputy, and leader Himedti, TMC spokesman Shamseddin Kabbashi, Yasser Atta and Ibrahim Gaber.