Transitional Military Council (2019)

The Transitional Military Council (TMC) was a military junta that ruled Sudan from April 11, 2019, to August 21, 2019. It was formed following the removal of President Omar al-Bashir from power after months of widespread protests against his long rule.

The TMC was initially headed by Defence Minister Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf, who resigned just a day later and was replaced by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The council was primarily composed of high-ranking officers from the Sudanese Armed Forces and other security agencies.

The TMC's stated purpose was to oversee a transition to civilian rule. However, its initial actions and pronouncements were met with suspicion and resistance from the pro-democracy movement, who continued to demand a swift transfer of power to a civilian government. Negotiations between the TMC and the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), a coalition of civilian opposition groups, were often fraught with tension and deadlock.

A major turning point occurred on June 3, 2019, when security forces violently dispersed a protest camp in Khartoum, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. This crackdown drew international condemnation and intensified pressure on the TMC to reach an agreement with the civilian opposition.

After extensive negotiations, the TMC and the FFC signed a power-sharing agreement on August 17, 2019. This agreement established a joint civilian-military Sovereign Council, which would govern Sudan for a transitional period of 39 months, leading to elections. The Sovereign Council was officially inaugurated on August 21, 2019, effectively dissolving the Transitional Military Council and marking a significant step towards democratic transition in Sudan. The TMC's role was highly controversial due to its association with the previous regime and its handling of the post-Bashir political situation.