The head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), Volker Perthes, has described the violence used by security forces against Tuesday’s demonstrations in Sudan as “extremely disturbing.”
“This contradicts commitments made by security forces to avoid such tactics”, the UN official added in a Tweet.
“Since it undermines trust, this persistent tendency must cease immediately.”
On Wednesday, the Sudanese Doctors’ Committee, an NGO, announced that the number of injuries from Tuesday’s protests reached 98 in Khartoum alone.
The same group has announced that the death toll due to violence against protestors since 25 October has reached 43, following the death of a protester last Thursday.
Sudan has suffered a deep crisis since 25 October, when the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, declared a state of emergency and dissolved the Sovereign Council. Numerous ministers and governors were dismissed, and a number of party leaders and officials were arrested. Protests began immediately, in response to what many viewed as a “military coup”.
Last Thursday (25 November) al-Burhan formed a new Transitional Sovereign Council, which, however, excludes representatives of the Forces of Freedom and Change group, the civilian alliance that emerged during the uprising that toppled Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
Protests have continued since, despite al-Burhan and his civilian counterpart, Abdalla Hamdok, announcing their signing of a new agreement on 21 November. The agreement confirmed the latter’s return to his post – a month after his dismissal – and the formation of a technocratic government.
Since the overthrow of al-Bashir, journalists, human-rights defenders, and those who criticise the Sudanese authorities have been at risk of harassment and even arrest.
