Teenager shot dead on eve of Sudan protests

A 15-year-old protester was killed in peaceful processions in Khartoum North (Bahri), on Wednesday evening, with a gunshot wound to the chest, bringing the total number of demonstrators killed in Khartoum since the military coup to 103.

The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors said that the authorities used excessive violence in Khartoum Bahri.

In various parts of Khartoum and in the states, people rallied yesterday evening, in anticipation of the mass Marches of the Millions today, called for by the grassroots resistance committees in the country, “to overthrow the [October 2021] coup”.

The Khartoum state Security Coordination Committee announced the closure of all Nile bridges, except for the Soba and Halfaya bridges. The road in front of the General Command of the Armed Forces was closed as well, with concrete blocks and barbed wire.

The committee said in a press statement yesterday that “it will fulfil its duties towards securing these processions so that the demonstrators can deliver their message”, and called on the demonstrators “to adhere to peaceful protests and not to allow spoilers to enter your midst”.

On Thursday, the security forces continued to detain members from the resistance committees and other activists, and to search vehicles, sources told Radio Dabanga.

The El Daein Resistance Committees Coordination in East Darfur reported the detention of its member Fathi Yahya Adam.

Khartoum and various towns of the states witnessed heavy military deployment, while demonstrators defied them and took to the streets in anticipation of the mass marches today. The resistance committees as well announced the points of gathering and tracks for the June 30 Marches of Millions, amid expectations that the Internet would be cut off today.

Parades and vigils calling for mass participation in the Marches of the Millions today were reported in Wad Madani, Hasaheisa, Rufaa, and El Managil in El Gezira, Kosti in White Nile state, El Obeid in North Kordofan, En Nehoud in West Kordofan, Nyala in South Darfur, Ed Daein in East Darfur, Port Sudan and Kassala in eastern Sudan, Sennar, Ed Damazin in Blue Nile state, Atbara and El Matamma in River Nile state, and Dongola in Northern State.

The El Gedaref Resistance Committees Coordination in eastern Sudan said that military forces toured the city “to show their strength”.

In Northern State, about 60 Egyptian lorries were blocked for a second day, after members of resistance committee barricaded the highway linking Khartoum with the Egyptian border (the Artery of the North) on Tuesday.

Activist Abdallah Monim told Radio Dabanga that the closure is “a contribution by the Northern State Resistance Committees Coordination to the ongoing movement to end the coup”.

He explained that they stopped 57 Egyptian trucks loaded with cotton, sesame, and other Sudanese raw materials on their way to Egypt and a few other lorries that entered Sudan.