Sudan's ruling military council saidon Saturday that a coalition of protest and opposition groups would bear theresponsibility for any loss of life or damage resulting from a protest marchplanned for Sunday.
The Forces for Freedom and Change(FFC) coalition has called for a million people to take to the streets of thecapital, Khartoum, to press its demands for the military council to cede powerto civilians.
The generals and the oppositionmovement have been wrangling for weeks over how to manage a transition towardselections following the military's ouster of long-time President Omar al-Bashiron April 11.
"We warn of the seriousness ofthe crisis our country is going through," the council said in a statementcarried by state news agency SUNA.
"We also hold the Forces forFreedom and Change fully responsible for any spirit that is lost in this march,or any damage or harm to citizens or state institutions," it added.
The deputy head of the TransitionalMilitary Council (TMC), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, warned of"vandals" and a "concealed agenda" that he suggested mightseek to take advantage of the march.
Direct talks between the council andthe FFC stalled and then collapsed altogether when security forces stormed aprotest sit-in in central Khartoum on June 3, killing dozens.
The sit-in had become the focal pointof protests against Bashir and the military council.
Mediators led by the African Union(AU) and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed have since been trying to broker areturn to direct talks between the two sides.
On Friday, the military council saida proposal submitted by the AU and Ethiopia received on June 27 was suitablefor the resumption of talks with the opposition.
The opposition had supported anearlier Ethiopian proposal before the military council said the AU andEthiopian efforts needed to be merged.
Separately on Saturday, the SudaneseProfessionals' Association (SPA) said the head of a teachers' committee and aleading member of the FFC had been detained.
The military council did notimmediately comment.
"We urge the internationalcommunity to demand their immediate release. This move by the TMC is highlydetrimental to confidence building at this crucial time," said the SPA,which is part of the FFC and spearheaded the anti-Bashir protests.
The European Union on Friday said theSudanese people's right to protest and express their views "is key"and supported the AU-Ethiopian mediation efforts.
