Khartoum and major towns Sudan besieged by police forces to quell demonstrations

In Khartoum and other places in Sudan multiple demonstrations resumed after Friday prayers. The police and security forces responded with the large scale employment of troops throughout the country. Especially in Kosti the police used excessive force against demonstrators heading towards Freedom Square.

In Khartoum and other places in Sudan multiple demonstrations resumed after Friday prayers. The police and security forces responded with the large scale employment of troops throughout the country. Especially in Kosti the police used excessive force against demonstrators heading towards Freedom Square. A common theme in all these demonstrations was the condemnation of the increase in commodity prices, the bad management practices by the state, and they all called for the removal of the regime.

Khartoum Town was flooded with protesters and demonstration took place in at least four areas of Burri, Kalakala, Sijana and Al Jadida, as reported by Radio Dabanga. Some of the demonstrators, journalists and activist in Khartoum told Radio Dabanga that the government deployed security forces on a scale never seen before. Also protests outside of Farouq Cemetery broke out late afternoon Friday, protesters burnt car tires while 4 police trucks unloaded riot police. In AlDaim separate protests were reported. In Bahri the police dispersed a large crowd gathering in the mosque near the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Omdurman

In Omdurman several reports came in about demonstrations in Wad Nubawi and Shuhada where the headquarters of the Ummah Party is located. Many of the Ansar (mainly supporters of the Umma Party) were praying in the Imam Abdel Rahman Mosque nearby when a crowd of 400-500 people were attacked by security forces and pro-government militias with life ammunition, teargas, sticks and batons. The protesters were throwing stones in return. Demonstrators informed Radio Dabanga that the common slogans of this demonstration were “The people want to change the regime”. They were calling on all people of Khartoum to revolt against the thieves of ‘Karfuri’, a neighborhood where Bashir and high ranking officials live. Crowds also chanted: “It is a strong revolution against the military and the fascist government”. The use of excessive force led to many injuries among the demonstrators. Eyewitnesses said they had seen wounded demonstrators transported to the emergency hospital in Omdurman.

Outside Khartoum

For the first time since the demonstrations commenced seven days ago in Sudan, protest took place outside Khartoum, Radio Dabanga reports. Sennar was the stage for a significant demonstration. Also, in the industrial harbour at the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, crowds chanted anti-government slogans and were chased by police using teargas. In Al Gezira State-capital, Wad Medani, the police faced hundreds of demonstrators after Friday prayers.

In Kosti tens of demonstrators took to the streets after Friday prayers chanting slogans calling for regime change. Eyewitnesses in Kosti told Radio Dabanga that the police and security forces used batons and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators by force.

JEM

The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) announced its support for the demonstrations. The President of the movement, Gibril Ibrahim, calls on all Sudanese citizens ‘to take to the streets and enforce regime change’. According to Gibril the security forces detained over 1800 demonstrators. He described the actions of the security forces as “ugly and unacceptable”.

Dr Gibril emphasized that “there is no salvation for the Sudanese until they end the Salvation Government”. President Omar al Bashir claimed he rescued the country after a military coup in 1989 using ‘Salvation’ as his slogan.

Omar Gamar Aldin Ismail, a human rights activist testified yesterday (Thursday) before the European Parliament about the situation in Sudan. He emphasized that the time is now and that all the Sudanese should join hands and move together to end their misery.