US calls for 'civilian-led transition' in Sudan

Washington has called on the military authorities in Sudan to "allow space for civilian participation" in the government.

On Thursday, Sudanese military leaders toppled President Omar al-Bashir, after months of popular protests against his 30-year rule. The new authorities said they would set a two-year "transitional period" led by a military council.

"The Sudanese people should determine who leads them in their future," US State Department Spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters at a news briefing.

"The Sudanese people have been clear that they have been demanding a civilian-led transition. They should be allowed to do so sooner than two years from now."

Palladino called the toppling of Bashir a "historic moment for the people of Sudan", but acknowledged that Washington does not have a "final assessment" of the situation.

Asked if the US will deal with Defence Minister Awad Ahmad Ibn Auf, who is now in charge of the government in Khartoum, as the head of the executive branch in Sudan, Palladino said: "I don't have anything on specific individuals to share at this time."