Classes suspended as Khartoum University protests continue

Student demonstrations continued on Tuesday at Khartoum University in the Sudanese capital, with protestors demanding the release of detainees, the restoration of the students’ union, and the dismantling of ‘jihadist units’. The University’s Dean Council issued a decision to close the university for an indefinite period.

A student from the university told Radio Dabanga that police and security services confronted the demonstrators in front of the university gate with tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets which resulted in injury to dozens of students, and the arrest of others.

He accused the university guards of being in compliance with the security services in the arrest of a student, while the students, in turn, detained a university guard commander so as to exchange him for the student before being released later on Monday.

Classes suspended

On Tuesday, the Deans Council of the University of Khartoum issued a decision suspending study at all faculties and schools of the centre complex for an indefinite period.

A statement issued by the Council condemned “the disgraceful behaviour and assault of some students on professors and workers such as Prof. Mohammed Abdulrahman, the Ex-Chancellor of the university and causing serious harm to the commander of the university guards and some members of the guard, some of whom are still receiving hospital treatment.”

The statement has also pointed to the attack on the sanctity of the classrooms, tearing-up of the exams, and obstructing the course of the study in all faculties of the centre, as well as damaging parts of the wall of the university and its property.

Security red line

The National Security and Intelligence Service (NISS) has stressed that it “will not allow the transfer of conflict and violence to the capital Khartoum”.

The Deputy Director General of the Security Services, Osama Mukhtar, has considered “the capital’s security as a red line. Chaos will not be allowed to reach its vicinities.”

Speaking at a NISS graduation ceremony, Mukhtar said that the Service “will not allow the country to drift to chaos and bloodshed as happened in many countries of the region”.

He added that “the military operations in Darfur, Kordofan and Blue Nile have extended security over those regions and made the rebels count their last days”.