Deadly escalation of protests in Sudan

cde.news desk 14 May 2019, 08:42 · 1 min read

epa07542914 Sudanese protesters walk between barricades erected on roads around the army headquarters in Khartoum, Sudan, 02 May 2019. Reports state Sudanese protesters reinforced their barricades outside the army headquarters where they have been staging a sit-in after talks on forming a ruling council of civilian and military representatives failed. The protesters had been asking for a new civilian council to replace the military one which took over after President Omar al-Bashir on 11 April. EPA-EFE/STRINGER

Sudan’s former President Omar al-Bashir was charged “with inciting and participating” in the killing of protesters during the mass protests that lead to the end of his decades-long rule, as security forces reportedly opened fire on demonstrators with live rounds.

Five Sudanese protesters and an army major were shot dead Monday in the capital, hours after protest leaders and the ruling generals reached a breakthrough agreement on transitional authorities to run the country.

France 24 says that the latest developments came as the prosecutor general’s office said ousted president Omar al-Bashir had been charged over the killings of protesters during anti-regime demonstrations that led to the end of his rule last month.

The major and a protester were killed at a sit-in outside the army headquarters in Khartoum where thousands of protesters remain camped for weeks, demanding that the army generals who took power after ousting Bashir step down. Three soldiers and several protesters and civilians were also wounded when “unidentified elements” fired shots at the Khartoum sit-in, the ruling military council said.

The military council said in a late night press conference that it had “noticed some armed infiltrators among the protesters”.

via France 24 / Al Jazeera

Topics Omar al-Bashir Protests Sudan