Sudan's opposition skeptical of investigation blaming 'outlaw' security forces for protest violence

An investigation into the violent breakups of protests in Khartoum last month found "rogue" military responsible for 87 deaths, but Sudan's opposition movement — which is demanding demanding the military cede power to civilians — is not satisfied.

Fath al-Rahman Saeed, the head of the investigative committee appointed by the public prosecutor, said on Saturday that some members of the security forces fired on protesters in violation of orders. The committee found the security forces "exceeded their duties and entered the sit-in square" before they "fired heavily and randomly." Saeed described the forces who fired as "outlaws."

The death toll provided by the investigation falls in between the health ministry's previously reported total of 61 and the opposition medics' report of 127 deaths.

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The opposition is not buying the "outlaw" narrative or the new death toll, however. Ismail al-Taj, an opposition representative, told a news conference that the committee "was formed not to establish the truth, but to conceal the truth." The committee also had not uncovered any incidents of rape, Al Jazeera reports, despite U.S.-based Physicians for Human Rights citing local medics who said women had their clothes torn off and were raped.

The opposition forces and the ruling military council which replaced former president Omar Al-Bashir after decades of autocratic rule are currently negotiating an agreement for a three-year transition to elections. Read more at Al Jazeera.