SUDAN – Eight people were reported killed as huge crowds took to the streets of Sudan amid a communications blackout to rally against the country’s military leadership that seized power eight months ago. Six people were fatally shot when police fired live ammunition at protesters in Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum, the Sudanese capital.
Across the Nile River in Khartoum, another person died from a gunshot wound in the head and a child died after being shot in the chest, according to the group, which tracks casualties during protests. The identity of all eight was not immediately known.
Crowds in the tens of thousands were estimated to be protesting in Khartoum and its twin cities of Omdurman and in Bahri. Security forces fired tear gas and water cannon to block the protesters from marching towards the presidential palace in central Khartoum. The protesters barricaded some of the capital’s main thoroughfares with stones and burning tyres. Videos showing thousands of people waving Sudanese flags and running under clouds of tear gas were posted on social media.
The resistance of the Sudanese is an exemplary one, since those protests are going on for over then a year. Hundreds of people have being killed in these period, however, the people continue to organize themselves and demonstrate their anger towards the military junta. They promises to continue resisting until the military government resigns.
Civilian government
The people are protesting for a year already demanding for a civilian government. Sudan has been ruled by an interim civilian-military government since 2019. The military ousted longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in April that year, following four months of mass protests against his rule. With al-Bashir toppled, the ruling generals agreed to share power with civilians representing the protest movement.
Thousands of Sudanese took to the streets of Khartoum to demand the dismantling of Hamdok’s government and the establishment of military rule. Since then, hundreds of them have been camping outside the Republican Palace, the seat of the Sovereign Council.
