Sudan's protest leaders have agreed to hold direct talks with the ruling generals. The deal was reached after African Union and Ethiopian mediators urged the two sides to resume  negotiations.

Protest leader Madani Abbas Madani said: "The Alliance for Freedom and Change met and decided to accept the invitation for direct negotiations with the generals."

Yet the new negotiations have some conditions and one is to reach a decision "within 72 hours", confirmed Madani.

Tensions soared following a deadly crackdown on a weeks-long sit-in last month that killed dozens of demonstrators and wounded hundreds.

Talks between the two rival groups had collapsed in May over the make-up of the governing body and who should lead it -- a civilian or soldier.

The ruling military council that seized power after the army's ouster of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir has still not responded to the call for talks made by the mediators to resume talks.