Ten wounded in demo against sale of plots in Sudan capital

At least ten residents of the Sudanese capital were injured during peaceful protests against the construction of a sand barrier in their neighbourhood on Thursday.

The protest started in El Jireif in the morning, bringing together people who oppose the planned changes in their neighbourhood. A representative of the protesters, Badreldin El Haj, told Radio Dabanga that members of the Sudanese security service (NISS) arrived at the demonstration in 37 vehicles. “They attacked the people with rubber bullets and tear gas,” he said.

At least ten people, including a girl and four women, were injured. Two people were arrested.

El Haj: “One of the youths of the district was shot with rubber bullets and taken to the hospital. A girl and four women suffocated in their houses because of the tear gas the police used. There were several people with minor injuries.”

He added that the security forces arrested Ahmad Mubarak and Kamaleldin Barakat and took them to an unknown destination.

After the protesters were dispersed, the authorities arrived with 20 trucks and seventeen excavators at the scene to construct the sand barrier. For many residents, the construction is a prelude to the selling of large plots in the neighbourhood to investors.

The state government has sold the plots to investors, including the brick factories that were considered historical, to be replaced by a new residential area. The factories were demolished last year.

Residents in El Jireif have held a number of protests to show their disapproval of the selling of the brick factories’ area, saying it is owned by the residents of the district.

On 12 October, El Jireif's residents forced police forces to withdraw from the area and prevented the demolition of brick factories that was ordered by the state. A woman died when police used tear gas and others were shot by live ammunition used to disperse similar protests in May 2016.