Veteran general Burhan sworn in as head of Sudan's sovereign council

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KHARTOUM - Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan has been sworn in as Sudan's new leader, state news agency SUNA said on Wednesday.

The members of the Sovereign Council, which Burhan will lead, also took their oath of office in the capital, Khartoum.

The ceremony came hours after the Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the country's pro-democracy opposition movement formed an 11-member sovereign council to lead the country through a three-year transitional period toward civilian rule.

Burhan, who chaired the TMC after former president Omar al-Bashir was ousted in an April military coup, has a long-standing military career, with positions as former commander of Sudan's ground forces and inspector general of the army.

Burhan will lead the Sovereign Council for the next 21 months. The sovereign council is composed of five military personnel nominated by TMC, five civilians by FFC, in addition to one civilian candidate to be agreed upon between the two sides.

A civilian will take over from Burhan for the remaining 18 months until 2022 when democratic elections are due.

A prime minister is scheduled to be sworn on Wednesday evening.

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