Sudan police kill five in uprising against South Darfur Governor

(UPDATE) – At least five people, including a 13-year-old boy, were shot and killed by the Sudan police and 48 people were seriously injured by bullets during clashes on Thursday between police and protesters in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, Radio Dabanga reports. The number has been confirmed by the medical staff of Nyala hospital. At least 15 young men were arrested and brought to the central police station of Nyala, to be beaten until they collapsed. Their fate is still unknown. Police forces with mounted machine guns on their vehicles roamed the entire day through the city centre, shooting in the air trying to scare off the angry mob.Riot police tried to disperse the crowd, beating demonstrators and shooting with bullets. They used teargas to chase the demonstrators who had set the Governor’s office ablaze, burning his car with at least ten other cars. The police also fired teargas inside the hospital where the injured people were brought for treatment. Doctors and nursing staff had to cover their faces to allow their work in the hospital theater. The Governor, Adam Mahmoud Jar Al Nabi, was quickly rescued after the demonstration turned into a violent protest. He was transported in an armored vehicle (APC) to escape the outraged crowd. By 11:00 o’clock this morning (Thursday), several of the ministry buildings were on fire, including that of the commissioner. A government official confirmed to Radio Dabanga that an estimated 5,000 protesters with a majority of women took part in the demonstrations. They walked to the offices of the South Darfur government this morning after they buried Ishmael Ibrahim Wadi, a popular businessman and president of the Nyala Merreikh football club. He was killed on Wednesday evening by unknown gunmen while driving home. One of his sons died with him on the spot and one son was serious injured. On Thursday morning a growing crowd started a demonstration walking from the cemetery to the Governor’s office as they keep him accountable for the militia’s active in town since he is the head of the security organs in South Darfur. The Governor tried initially to calm down the angry mob, but during his speech slogans were chanted, like “Government go away, now”. After a while the people became even more outraged entering the compound and setting his car and office ablaze. The fire spread towards other adjacent buildings, including that of the commissioner. The security and police came to protect the other buildings in vain. After they destroyed some fencing, the security started to use teargas and fired live bullets. Two men, two women and one boy were hit by bullets and died. Two other reported dead casualties have not been confirmed. The entire centre was sealed for traffic, the markets in Nyala were closed, while people were watching out. In the meantime police and special forces were racing around in cars while firing in the air, but also hitting people. Although the main group of demonstrators disappeared, individuals remained coming challenging the police. By the end of the afternoon the situation seemed under control, but the atmosphere was still tensioned, Radio Dabanga reports. The entire centre is patrolled by armoured vehicles, many crossings are blocked and numerous roadblocks are preventing traffic. It is the second time in the past few days that the population started to protest.After gunmen killed on Monday a health official and his pregnant wife who served as prison officer in Nyala, people gathered outside the main morgue to denounce the assault and demanded local authorities to end the escalating insecurity in the town. That protest followed a previous statement last week, made by the South Darfur Governor, who pledged to improve the security situation. Police authorities also announced that some 26 police check points would be set up in Nyala according to a tight security plan. Most security incidents are blamed to former government militia who were armed to fight the opposition rebels. The UN Office for Coordinating the Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) announced that all UN agency staff would remain in their homes until the security situation has become normal. (UPDATE 17:39).