Ethiopia’s prime minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in Khartoum on Friday to meet the chief of Sudan’s ruling military council in a bid to mediate in the political crisis that has followed the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir in April.

Abiy ‘s first meeting was with members of both the ruling Transitional Military Council headed by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. He was then scheduled to meet members of the opposition.

The Ethiopian initiative follows the worst bloodshed in Sudan since Bashir was ousted by the military.

The opposition says 108 people were killed in the storming of a civilian protest camp on Monday and a subsequent wider crackdown. The government put the toll at 61 people, including three security personnel.

The African Union has now suspended Sudan until the establishment of civilian rule, intensifying global pressure on the military leaders to stand down

Both sides had been in talks over a civilian-led transition to democracy. But the already faltering negotiations collapsed in the wake of the crackdown.

Via VOA