UAE expresses 'great concern' over Sudan crisis and calls for new talks

The US has called on the ruling military council and Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries to desist from violence

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  Sudanese protesters walk past burning tyres during a demonstration in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman. AFP

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  Sudanese protesters burn tyres and barricade the road in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman. AFP

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  Sudanese protesters burn tyres and barricade the road in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman. AFP

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  Sudanese forces are deployed around Khartoum's army headquarters as they try to disperse Khartoum's sit-in. AFP

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  Sudanese protesters close Street 60 with burning tyres and paving stones as the military forces tried to disperse the sit-in outside Khartoum's army headquarters. AFP

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  A video still shows Sudan Sudanese security forces moving against a protest sit-in camp in the capital Monday, witnesses and protest organizers said. Machine gun fire and explosions were heard and smoke rose from the area. AP

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  A Sudanese protester uses paving stones to block Street 60 as the military forces tried to disperse the sit-in outside Khartoum's army headquarters. AFP

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  Sudanese protesters close Street 60 with burning tyres and paving stones as the military forces tried to disperse the sit-in outside Khartoum's army headquarters. AFP

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  A Sudanese protester reacts as the military forces tried to disperse the sit-in outside Khartoum's army headquarters. AFP

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  Sudanese protesters remove pavers to block the road as military forces tried to disperse the sit-in outside Khartoum's army headquarters. AFP

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  A Sudanese protester flashes the V sign for victory outside Khartoum's army headquarters. AFP

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  A protester flashes the victory sign in front of burning tires and debris on road 60, near Khartoum's army headquarters, in Khartoum, Sudan. AP Photo

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  General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, interim leader of Sudan where security forces broke up a weeks-long sit-in in a deadly operation Monday. AFP

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  A Sudanese protester gestures as he walks past burning tyre near Khartoum's army headquarters on after security forces broke up a weeks-long sit-in. AFP

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  A Sudanese protester walks past a burning tyre near Khartoum's army headquarters after security forces broke up a weeks-long sit-in. AFP

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  Sudanese protesters use burning tyres to erect a barricade on a street, demanding that the country's Transitional Military Council hand over power to civilians, in Khartoum. REUTERS

The UAE expressed "great concern" on Thursday about the ongoing violence between the Sudanese military and protesters after days of unrest left at least 108 people dead.

"The UAE hopes that wisdom, voice of reason and constructive dialogue would prevail between all Sudanese parties, in a way that guarantees security and stability of Sudan, helps spare its people the scourge of evil, safeguard its gains and ensure its unity," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement.

"The UAE emphasised the importance of resuming talks among various Sudanese forces to realise the aspirations of the brotherly people of Sudan."

But Sudanese protest leaders on Wednesday turned down an offer by the ruling military council for talks and demanded justice for a crackdown that doctors said left scores dead. Security forces moved in to brutally disperse a protest sit-in on Monday.

Washington on Wednesday called on Sudan's military rulers to "desist from violence" and urged talks with protesters to resume.

"The United States condemns the recent attacks on protesters in Sudan," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

It called on the ruling military council and Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries to desist from violence and "a civilian-led transition that leads to timely elections and free expression of the will of the Sudanese people," Ms Ortagus said.

"Senior Department officials are engaging now with officials in the region and we welcome the recent statements from the AU, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia calling for restraint from violence and resumption of dialogue," she added.

Riyadh, a backer of the military rulers, had earlier sought a resumption of "dialogue between the various parties of Sudan."

The Central Committee for Sudanese Doctors close to the protest movement said on Wednesday that at least 108 people had been killed in the crackdown, including 40 people whose bodies were recovered from the Nile river. More than 500 people were wounded.

Army ruler General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan on Wednesday said the council would "negotiate with no restriction," but protest leaders rejected the offer.

After the killing "justice and accountability" are needed before talks about a political process, said Amjad Farid, a spokesman for the Sudanese Professionals Association which spearheaded protests that led to the removal in April of longtime ruler Omar Al Bashir.

Mr Al Bashir was replaced by the military council.