♦ Sudan: This week’s news in brief ♦

A compact digest of the past week's most-read highlights, from the heart of Sudan. Subscribe to receive this digest weekly in your inbox.

Death toll in Nov 13 protests rises to eight as girl (13) shot in head

November 16 – 2021 KHARTOUM / KASSALA The “excessive and unjustified violence” used by Sudan’s security forces to suppress Saturday’s Marches of the Millions in Khartoum has been widely condemned.

The number of victims has risen to at least eight, as 13-year-old Remaz Hatem El Ata died after being shot in the head in front of her home on Saturday. The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors cay that there were at least 212 injuries during Saturday’s marches, of whom more than 100 suffered from bullet wounds. At least 11 of them are still in critical condition in hospital.

The Legal Doctors Syndicate said that it had received testimonies from some of the hospitals where the victims of the November 13 marches are being treated that allege the bullets used to suppress demonstrators are of the expanding (dumdum) variety that are internationally prohibited for military use.

The police, however, deny using firearms in dealing with the demonstrators. The Khartoum police press office says they dealt with the demonstrations “with the legal use of tear gas and minimal force”.

Sudan coup leader restores restructured Sovereignty Council

November 11 – 2021 KHARTOUM Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and leader of the military junta that seized power in Sudan in a coup d’état on October 25, announced today that the Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC) will be reinstated under his chairmanship, with the same military members and rebel leaders as before but with a new set (with one exception) of civilian members.

During the coup, El Burhan dissolved the TSC and the civilian-led transitional government of Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok that was established following the April 2019 overthrow of the Omar Al Bashir regime.

Six local and foreign mediation initiatives have failed to achieve any breakthrough in the current political crisis in Sudan. The National Consensus Forces (NCF) alliance of progressive political parties affirmed that it has not and will not be part of any initiative that seeks to mediate between the military leaders and civilian political forces in the country.

More Dabanga news

Sudan’s internet blackout persists despite Khartoum court orders

November 16 – 2021 KHARTOUM In a third ruling regarding restoration of internet services in Sudan, the Khartoum District Court on Sunday rejected the reasons provided by telecommunications company Zain, regarding its failure to comply with the court’s order of November 9, to end the blockade that …

More journalists, activists, protesters, including minors, held in Sudan

November 15 – 2021 KHARTOUM / EASTERN SUDAN / DARFUR More than 100 people were detained during the November 13 demonstrations in Omdurman. In Khartoum, 52 people, including 10 minors, were detained in the Mogran Public Order Police Department. In Darfur, at least 71 people …

UN Human Rights Council appoints new expert for Sudan

November 14 – 2021 GENEVA UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Friday designated Adama Dieng as an expert on human rights in Sudan, following a request from the UN Human Rights Council. The designation follows a special session of the Council held on Sudan on 5 …

Sudan’s FA Minister calls on EU for support against COVID-19

November 12 – 2021 KHARTOUM Ambassadors of the European Union in Sudan met with Foreign Affairs Minister Maryam El Sadig on Thursday. They reiterated their support to the government of Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok. The minister called for more pressure on the putschists to hand power …

Darfur gunmen 'see coup as a license to resume attacks’

November 11 – 2021 TAWILA / NIERTETI / GARSILA Attacks on Darfuri villagers increased following the military coup of October 25, in particular in North Darfur where more than 2,000 families reportedly fled to Zamzam camp for the displaced. Yesterday, two farmers were killed on their farms in Tawila. …

Detained activists on hunger strike in Sudan’s El Gezira

November 10 – 2021 WAD MADANI / EL OBEID / SINGA / ED DAMER / KHARTOUM A number of political detainees in Wad Madani, capital of El Gezira, began a hunger strike on Sunday in protest against the abuse they are facing in prison. Detentions of activists continue. The governor of …

Seven people killed in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains last week

November 10 – 2021 ABU KERSHOLA / KOLOGI Last week, two herders were shot dead and robbed in the area of Abu Kershola in the northern part of South Kordofan. The bodies of two farmers were found with gunshot wounds in the neighbourhood of Um Burambeta. More than 200 kilometres to …