Three Killed During Fresh Anti-coup Protests in Sudan

January 6, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Three protesters were shot dead Thursday by security forces in the latest anti-coup protests as the military rulers seek by all means to quell the pro-democracy movement in Sudan.

On Thursday, the spearhead of the anti-coup demonstrations organized for the third time this month protests in Khartoum State and other regions to voice their support for a civilian-led transition to achieve the needed reforms.

In anticipation of the rallies, the authorities shut down the internet services, closed bridges linking the capital Khartoum and deployed a huge number of security forces on the roads to discourage people from taking to the streets.

Undeterred by these measures, the protesters marched in Khartoum cities shouted slogans hostile to the putschists and held banners such as “Hand over economic companies and return to your caserns”.

The security forces used water cannons, tear gas and gunshots to disperse the protesters.

The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD) said that the security forces shot dead three protesters.

Two protesters were killed in Omdurman and a third in Khartoum North (Bahri), said the pro-democracy medical group.

The CCSD also released a video showing medical personnel and patients running out of the emergency service at the Khartoum Teaching Hospital fleeing tear gas fired by the security forces.

The security forces further “surrounded the Al-Arbaeen Hospital (in Omdurman) earlier today to prevent the arrival of the injured, and block the transfer of the injured from it to specialized hospitals, as well,” further said the medical group.

Protesters took to the streets in Atbara, Ad Damazin, Al Damer, Nyala, El-Fasher, Port Sudan, Kassala, Madani and Al-Manaqil of Aljazeera state, Gadaref, Singh. Zalingei, Kosti, Dongola,  and Al-Daein.

The National Umma Party (NUP) issued a statement to condemn the brutal crackdown of protesters stressing that the ongoing repression is worse than the one practised by the former regime.

“What is happening is a dangerous development and a total disregard for Sudanese blood. We warn the leaders of the coup and the security services against continuing violations of human rights and public freedoms,” stressed the statement.

For its part, the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) condemned the bloody violence in Sudan and renewed calls on the UN Security Council to set up an international commission of enquiry to investigate the human rights violations committed after the October 25th coup d’état.

Activists reported that dozens of protesters were injured but no medical statement has been issued by the independent medical group.

For its part, the Sudanese police said that a joint force on Al-Arbaeen Street in Omdurman was shot from a building under construction.

A policeman sustained a serious injury, said the statement.

The forces surrounded the building and arrested three perpetrators, the police added without further details about their identity.

(ST)