Sudan military admits it ordered brutal crackdown on protesters

For the first time, Sudan’s ruling military council has admitted it ordered the dispersal of Khartoum sit-in, which left scores dead, as US and African diplomats stepped up efforts for a solution to the country’s political crisis.

Spokesman for the transitional military council, Shams Al Din Kabashi says, the council had decided to disperse the demonstration.

Protesters had staged the weeks-long sit-in outside the army headquarters in Khartoum overthrowing long-time leader Omar Al-Bashir in April.

But the pro-democracy protesters have continued their agitation demanding the council, which took over from Al-Bashir, hand power to a civilian-led transitional body.

40 bodies were recovered from the Nile River.

The health ministry has put the nationwide death toll for that day at 61.