FILE PHOTO: Protesters march during a rally against military rule following coup in Khartoum, Sudan, February 10, 2022. Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
March 31, 2022
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Medics said a protester was killed in Khartoum on Thursday as demonstrations against a military coup entered their sixth month across the country.
The 23-year-old was shot in the chest, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said, bringing the total of those killed in protest crackdowns since an Oct. 25 military coup to 93.
Thousands marched towards the presidential palace in central Khartoum, and were met with heavy tear gas launched by security forces, a Reuters reporter said. The sound of gunshots could be heard and injured protesters, including at least two with visible bloodstains, were seen carried away.
Security forces prevented the protesters from reaching the palace, and chased them into nearby neighborhoods, the Reuters reporter said.
Members of the Central Reserve Police who were sanctioned last week by the United States for using excessive force could be seen deployed alongside other security forces.
Some protesters carried signs reading “April 6”, referring to planned protests on the anniversary of the largest demonstrations against former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, which resulted in a civilian-led transitional government. The October coup ended a power-sharing arrangement by civilian political groups and the military.
Parallel protests against the coup could be seen on social media in the cities of Port Sudan, Elobeid, Dongola, and Gadaref. The protests have taken on an increasingly economic nature as the country’s currency has tumbled and prices skyrocket.
General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who has led the country since the coup, travelled to Chad today, after visiting Egypt on Wednesday.
“We will keep up pressure until there is an explosion and we will force the soldiers to step aside and regain democracy,” said Hassan Yasin, a 47-year old protester.
(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz, writing by Nafisa Eltahir; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
