Protesters converge on Sudan defence ministry to demand civilian rule

A group of protesters acting like a mock TV crew interview a demonstrator in front of the Defence Ministry in Khartoum, Sudan, April 18, 2019. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Huge crowds formed outside Sudan's defence ministry on Thursday, joining a sit-in protest to demand that the country's transitional military council hand power to civilians.

Hundreds of thousands packed the streets by early evening - the largest crowds to gather in the centre of the capital since last week, when former President Omar al-Bashir was ousted and the military council took over.