10 More Killed as Anti-coup Protests in Sudan Turn Deadly Again

Wednesday, 17 November 2021 9:34 PM

Press TV  

Ten more protesters have been shot dead and dozens more injured in a crackdown on anti-coup protests in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. 

Clashes on Wednesday erupted as protesters hit the streets of the capital as well as the cities of Bahri and Omdurman. Security forces fired live rounds and tear gas to disperse the crowds. Some of the victims were shot in the head, neck and torso.

A pro-democracy union of doctors said in a statement that at least ten protesters were shot dead in Khartoum on Wednesday. “The coup forces are using live bullets extensively in separate areas of the capital injuring dozens and some are in critical condition.”

The rallies broke out even though telephone lines were cut and internet services were disrupted in the capital and the surrounding regions. Authorities also announced the closure of at least four bridges linking Khartoum with its surrounding cities.

The rallies come three weeks after top General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ousted the transitional government, detained the civilian leadership and declared a state of emergency.

In recent weeks, the military has been mounting a harsh crackdown on protesters, who have been taking to the streets after Sudan’s main opposition coalition called for civil disobedience and protests across the country following the military coup. Groups opposed to the recent military coup in Sudan had already called for ‘marches of millions’ on November 13 and 17 to protest the putsch.

Groups opposed to the recent military coup in Sudan call for “marches of millions” on November 13 and 17 to protest the putsch.

On October 25, Burhan dissolved the cabinet and the ruling military-civilian sovereign council. He also declared a state of emergency and put Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok under an effective house arrest, while detaining other leading members of his government.

The army's power grab has derailed a transition to full civilian rule and sparked international outcry.

The move drew anger and outrage across the African country and sparked international condemnation, including from the UN Security Council.

Burhan has said the military would establish a new technocrat government, promising that elections would take place in July 2023. Until then, he claimed, the military would be the guarantor of the democratic transition and of Sudan’s stability and security.

Before the military coup, the African country was ruled by the transitional government that was installed in the aftermath of the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir in another coup two years ago. The military shared power with civilians in the transitional authority since the removal of al-Bashir in 2019.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has described the recent military coup in Sudan as “deeply disturbing,” calling on the country's military leaders to “step back” amid a deepening political crisis in the African country.