The new head of Sudan's transitional military council said on Saturday that a civilian government would be established after consultations with opposition forces and promised that the transitional period would last for a maximum of two years. In his first televised address, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan Abdulrahman said he was canceling a night curfew ordered by his predecessor and ordered the release of all prisoners jailed under emergency laws ordered by ousted President Omar Al-Bashir. He also vowed to "uproot" the regime of ousted Bashir and its symbols. "I announce the restructuring of state institutions according to the law and pledge to fight corruption and uproot the regime and its symbols," Lt. Gen. Burhan said, a day after he was sworn in to head Sudan's new ruling military council. He said those involved in the killing of protesters would face justice. Earlier, Sudan's security and intelligence chief quit, a day after the defense minister stepped down abruptly as interim leader following the overthrow of Bashir and protesters kept up demands for change. Salah Abdallah Mohamed Saleh, known as Salah Gosh, who headed the National Intelligence and Security Service and was once the most influential person in the country after Bashir, was held responsible by protesters for the killing of demonstrators demanding an end to military rule. Defense Minister Awad Ibn Auf stepped down as head of the transitional military council late on Friday after only a day in the post, as protesters demanded faster political change. Celebrations erupted on the streets of Khartoum overnight following Ibn Auf's resignation. Thousands of protesters waved flags and illuminated mobile phones in the darkness and drivers hooted car horns. People chanted: "The second has fallen!" a reference to Ibn Auf and Bashir, witnesses said. At least 16 people were killed and 20 injured by stray bullets at protests and sit-ins on Thursday and Friday, a police spokesman said. Government buildings and private property were also attacked, spokesman Hashem Ali added. He asked citizens to help ensure safety and public order. Burhan is a career soldier. But protest leaders say that a change of military ruler will make no difference; what they want is an immediate handover to a civilian government. — Agencies
