Sudanese security forces shot dead at least one protester on Saturday in a crackdown on anti-coup demonstrations. This is after the military had tightened its grip by forming a new ruling council.
The comes nearly three weeks after top general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ousted the government, detained the civilian leadership
The protesters say “The military’s job is not to be in power or in politics but to protect the constitution, which Burhan turned against after he took an oath to respect it.”Ahmed Abdelrahman stated.
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“Our demand is to bring down the military council and to bring back the civilian government. We are tired of the military rule, and we hope that not a single soldier will rule us.”
The protests occurred despite the heavy security forces which consisted of the military police and paramilitary forces in Khartoum, where bridges connecting the capital to neighbouring cities were sealed off.
The security forces also blocked roads in Khartoum leading to the army headquarters, the site of a 2019 mass sit-in that led to the ouster of autocratic president Omar al-Bashir.
All the protesters are chanting is that they want a “Civilian rule. The military’s October 25 takeover drew widespread international condemnation with citizens pushing for a restoration of the country’s democratic transition
Thursday, Burhan named himself as the head of a new ruling Sovereign Council that excludes the country’s main civilian bloc, triggering more condemnation from the West.
On Friday, military figures and new civilian members of a new ruling council were sworn in before Burhan.
Three former rebel leaders who were members of the ousted Sovereign Council who were appointed to the new one did not attend the ceremony. They had previously rejected the military coup.
The newly named council features several new and little-known figures to represent civilians. (Africanews)
