Sudan's protesters and the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) Wednesday inked a power sharing deal, paving the way for a civilian administration, a key demand of demonstrators since president Omar al-Bashir was deposed in April.

The two sides initialled a document called the "Political Declaration", an AFP correspondent reported, after intense talks through the night over fine details of the agreement.

The deputy chief of the TMC Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo -- who initialled the deal on behalf of the military council -- told AFP the agreement was a "historic moment" for Sudan.

Ibrahim al-Amin, a key protest leader, said "today, we completed the political declaration."

"For the constitutional document we will resume talks on Friday," he told AFP.

The landmark power sharing deal, which was agreed on July 5, has been brokered by African Union and Ethiopian mediators after intense negotiations between the protest umbrella group and the TMC.

The overall accord stipulates that a new transitional civilian-military ruling body be established, in a bid to end the country's months-long political crisis.

The governing body will have a total of six civilians and five military representatives.

The six civilians will include five from the umbrella protest movement, the Alliance for Freedom and Change.

A general will head the ruling body during the first 21 months of the transition, followed by a civilian for the remaining 18 months, according to the framework agreement.

That body is to oversee the formation of a transitional civilian administration that will govern for just over three years, after which elections would be held.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online