Cairo (Reuters) - Western powers including the United States, Britain and the European Union expressed concern on Friday at the military's creation of a new transitional council headed by the army chief, and called for a return to a civilian-led transitional government.

       The statement condemned the "purported appointment of Sudan's Sovereign Council in violation of the 2019 constitutional declaration".

       "This unilateral action by the military undermines its commitment to uphold the agreed transitional framework", the troika said in a joint statement issued with Norway and Switzerland.

       They also called for the immediate restoration of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and the civilian-led transitional government.

       (Reporting by Lilian Wagdy; Editing by Jon Boyle)