♦ This week’s news in brief ♦
A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan’s news highlights from Darfur and Sudan
Scene from the sit-in in Khartoum (RD)
A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan's news highlights from Darfur and Sudan
♦ Popular sit-ins continue in Khartoum, Darfur, Kordofan after army removes Al Bashir
April 16 – 2019 KHARTOUM / PORT SUDAN / EL OBEID / EL GEDAREF / ZALINGEI The streets in front of the army’s General Command in Khartoum and in front of military units throughout Sudan have witnessed continuous sit-ins, with the demonstration in Khartoum lasting for twelve days in a row today. Tens of thousands of Sudanese people have gathered here to reject the military transitional council and demand the fulfillment of their demands: a civilian-led government.
On 11 April, former president Omar Al Bashir was deposed by the army after 30 years of rule. News of the succession of Defence Minister, Lt Gen Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf as interim president and head of the military transitional council was met with widespread dismay; the transfer of power was branded a ‘palace coup’ by opposition forces and questioned by the international community.
The military council is now led by Lt Gen Abdelfattah Burhan, Inspector-General of the Armed Forces who came in power after Ibn Auf stepped-down as head of the council. Several officials from the Bashir era have resigned or been dismissed, including the head of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Service, Salah Abdallah a.a Gosh. Meanwhile commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan (aka Hemeti), was sworn-in as interim vice-president of Sudan and deputy-head of the Interim Military Council on Saturday.
On Saturday at a meeting with the council, the delegates of the forces of Declaration of Freedom and Change presented 10 points representing their perception of urgent steps to enhance trust between all parties.
♦ Darfur: Nine people killed in clashes with security service
April 12 – 2019 ZALINGEI / EL FASHER / NYALA In Darfur, an upsurge in protests on Thursday resulted in violence and the death of nine people, including a child, in various towns. Seven people were killed and dozens were wounded in a shooting by security officers in Zalingei during their celebration of the fall of President Al Bashir. 37 people were wounded in the shooting by members of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS). This happened prior to the statement of the army broadcast on Sudanese state television, where they announced the removal of Al Bashir and formation of a military transitional council.
The same day in North Darfur, a resident of El Fasher died in front of the security forces’ office after they shot him as people tried to free detainees in the cells. And in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, the NISS offices were the scene of a crowd trying to release detainees. The security officers used gunfire to disperse a crowd, causing serious injuries to dozens of people.
In Khartoum, at least 16 people were killed and 20 others wounded by stray bullets at protests and sit-ins on Thursday and Friday, a Sudanese police spokesman claimed on Saturday. According to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, however, 35 people had been killed since the sit-in started on April 6. Previously, end February, the death toll of people killed during the demonstrations since they erupted on December 19 was estimated to be at least 50 people according to Human Rights Watch and activists in Sudan.
More news from Radio Dabanga:
April 16 – 2019 ADDIS ABABA / KHARTOUM The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council has called on the Sudanese army to hand over power to a civilian government within two weeks: if it fails to do so, it will block the country's membership…
Sudan’s new V-P receives western diplomats in Khartoum
April 15 – 2019 KHARTOUM (UPDATED 23:00) The commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan (aka Hemeti), sworn-in as interim vice-president of Sudan and deputy-head of the Interim Military Council…
Sudan’s infamous NISS chief resigns
April 13 – 2019 KHARTOUM (UPDATED 18:00) The director-general of the Sudan’s infamous National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), Salah Abdallah (aka Gosh) has resigned in what looks like a new concession to growing pressure…
Military transition does not satisfy Sudanese: Mass sit-in continues
April 12 – 2019 KHARTOUM / KADUGLI Past night, thousands of people in Khartoum defied the newly imposed curfew by the military council, which was established by the army yesterday to replace President Omar Al Bashir after 30 years in power…
Doctors: 13 civilians killed by security forces, ‘shadow battalions’ in Sudan today
April 11 – 2019 KHARTOUM / ATBARA / WAD MADANI / ZALINGEI At least 13 people died from action by security forces and ‘shadow battalions (armed men in plain clothes) in Sudan today, according to a statement by the Sudan Central Medical…
Detained students released in West Kordofan
April 11 – 2019 WEST KORDOFAN The authorities of El Fula Prison in West Kordofan released 15 students from El Salam University after writing a pledge on Tuesday…
Sudan’s ATMs, banks running on empty
April 11 – 2019 KHARTOUM / EL GEDAREF The ongoing shortage of cash in Sudan is deepening. ATMs have been empty for week, and banks simply have no available cash for the public to…
Ambassadors to Khartoum meet AUHIP to discuss future of Sudan
April 10 – 2019 ADDIS ABABA The ambassadors of the USA, UK, Norway, France, and Germany to Sudan travelled from Khartoum to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa last week for a meeting with the African Union High-Level Implementation…
21 dead in four days of Khartoum sit-in, police ordered to protect public
April 10 – 2019 KHARTOUM (UPDATED 22:00) The Sudanese Doctors Central Committee announced on Tuesday that 21 people have been killed over the last four days since April 6, at and around the sit-in at the General Command of the…
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