BRUSSELS, 13 November 2021, (TON): The United States and other Western powers expressed grave concern over the appointment of a new Sudanese ruling council by the general who led last month's coup, saying it complicated efforts to restore a transition to democracy.

The United States, Britain, Norway, the European Union and Switzerland also urged the security services to respect the right to free speech "without fear of violence or detention" ahead of protests set for Saturday by critics of the army's move.

Sudan's Khartoum state said “it would close all but three bridges across the river Nile at midnight ahead of the demonstrations on Saturday, Sudan TV reported, announcing what is a routine move to tighten security before rallies.”

General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan was sworn in as head of the new Sovereign Council, which replaces the power-sharing body he dissolved last month in a takeover that derailed Sudan's transition to civilian rule.

The head of the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, was sworn in as his deputy.

A joint statement by the United States and the other countries said “the army's move undermined its commitment to uphold transitional arrangements requiring civilians on the council to be nominated by the Forces for Freedom and Change, a coalition that had been sharing power with the army since 2019.”