Thousands rally in Sudan to protest military takeover

By Mohammed Amin

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) – Thousands of Sudanese took to the streets of the capital Khartoum on Saturday to protest last month’s military takeover.

Demonstrators chanted slogans against the head of Sudan’s ruling military council, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, including “The people want to oust al-Burhan” and “Freedom, peace and justice”, according to eyewitnesses.

Security forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Arkawit neighborhood east of Khartoum, and Al-Thawrah area in the capital’s city of Omdurman, witnesses said.

No injuries have been reported so far.

Saturday’s rallies were called by the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which is leading the protests, to demand civilian rule. The activist movement was key in organizing protests that led to the ouster of long-serving President Omar Al-Bashir in 2019.

The mass protests came two days after al-Burhan issued a decree to form a new ruling transitional council, appointing himself its chairman.

On Oct. 25, al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the transitional Sovereign Council and government, amid rival protests and accusations between the military and politicians in the country.

Before the military takeover, Sudan was administered by a sovereign council of military and civilian officials which was overseeing the transition period until elections are held in 2023 as part of a precarious power-sharing pact between the military and the Forces for Freedom and Change coalition.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar