Cracks in the military council's ranks?

Contradictory statements from leaders of Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC) following the brutal crackdown on protesters suggest there may be a crack in the ranks of its leadership.

On Wednesday, a day after he said all doors for negotiation were shut and all previous agreements were cancelled, the head of the TMC Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan extended a hand for unconditioned talks with the opposition.

But his deputy Mohamed Hamadan Dagalo – also known as Hemeti – maintained a tone of hostility, saying “chaos” will not be accepted anymore.

Citing a credible source in Khartoum, Rashid Abdi, an analyst at International Crisis Group, said on Thursday that the TMC is “deeply split”.