The tragedy of the Sudanese marginalised is that the man who is posing as their champion is the ruthless leader of a band of vagabonds, who has been supremely skilful in playing the transnational military marketplace.

The Sudanese group that led protests against deposed President Omar al-Bashir called for the transitional military council that has taken power to be disbanded and for a new interim civilian ruling council to be formed.

Sudan’s ruling military council yesterday promised the country would have a new civilian government, a day after the armed forces overthrew President Omar al-Bashir, but the proposal was immediately rejected by the main protest group.

A South African court has issued an interim order preventing Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir from leaving the country.