At a time when a general strike and a two-day campaign of civil disobedience in protest against the deaths of demonstrators began, the President of the Sudan's Transitional

Sovereignty Council, Army Commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, decided to set up a fact-finding committee on events during the demonstrations, which saw 7 demonstrators killed and more than 200 injured by Sudanese security forces.

According to the Sudan News Agency (Sona), the decision provided for the membership of the Committee to be one of the statutory organs and the Public Prosecutor's Office, adding: "The decision set the Committee at 72 hours to proceed."

The police confirmed the seven deaths, saying they had used "minimal force," adding: "This met with overwhelming hostility and confrontations characterized by organized violence."

Khartoum has had a bloody day following marches involving tens of thousands and more than 15 cities across the country to demand civilian rule and hold those who have killed 75 people accountable since protests began following the actions of Burhan on October 25.

Live bullets, tear gas and sound bombs were heavily used by security forces to prevent protesters from reaching the perimeter of the presidential palace in central Khartoum.

Several Western States and the United Nations, pressing for negotiations to resolve the political crisis, expressed concern about the deaths of demonstrators.

In a statement, the European Union said: "through the disproportionate use of force and the continued arrest of activists and journalists, the military authorities show that they are not prepared to find a peaceful solution to the crisis through negotiations."

Protesters erected roadblocks in Khartoum, and some shops and offices were closed as the general strike and the campaign of civil disobedience began.

The protesters demand that the army, which was sharing power with civilians before 25 October, distance itself entirely from politics.