Sudan's main opposition leader warns protesters against provoking the army

"We shouldn't provoke the army council by trying to deprive them of their legitimacy, by depriving them of their positive role in the revolution," National Umma Party chief Sadiq al-Mahdi said.

"We must not challenge them in a way that makes it necessary for them to assert themselves in a different way," added Mahdi, whose elected government was toppled by now ousted president Omar al-Bashir in a coup in 1989.

The veteran politician has fought since then al-Bashir politically, and in January he threw his weight in support of the protest movement that finally saw the army topple the long-standing dictator al-Bashir on April 11.

The army has resisted, however, transferring power to a civilian administration as demanded by the protesters, who have camped in their thousands outside the army headquarters Khartoum in a day-and-night sit-in.

Mahdi's cautionary advice comes amid a political stalemate in negotiations between the protest leaders and the 10-member army council over the forming of a joint civilian-military body that will replace the current army body.

"I think there are some signs that some of them (the army) have been provoked by some statements from the opposition that seem to belittle their role," said the opposition leader.

"If we provoke the... armed forces which contributed to the change, we would be asking for trouble," he warned.

Mahdi, dressed in a traditional Sudanese turban and robe, was optimistic that the military would transfer power.

"They will hand over executive power to a civilian government if we present a credible, viable form of a civilian government," he said in an interview with AFP.

Leaders of the Alliance for Freedom and Change (AFC), the umbrella group organising the protest movement in Sudan, insist the army generals are not serious about handing power.

On Monday, Sudan's army rulers and protest leaders offered differing visions for a joint council.

Sudan's military council has been pushing for a 10-member joint civilian-military council including seven army representatives and three civilians.

However, AFC wants a majority of civilians on a 15-member joint council with seven military representatives.

In a move to heighten pressure on the army officials, the protest movement's leaders have called for a "million-strong march" on Thursday.

Follow us on Twitter: @The_NewArab