Sudan: Military opens fire on anti-coup protesters; 7 killed, 140 wounded

The Sudanese military opened fire on tens of thousands of protesters who had attended the anti-coup march, killing at least seven individuals and injuring 140 others. After Sudan's military seized control from a transitional government, thousands of people came to the streets in protest in the capital, Khartoum, and its twin city, Omdurman. According to Al Jazeera, a health official stated that at least seven individuals had been killed by gunfire.

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the coup leader, abolished the military-civilian Sovereign Council, that had been created to steer the nation toward democracy following the downfall of longstanding leader Omar al-Bashir in a popular revolt two years ago. Sudan's major opposition coalition, the Forces of Freedom and Change, called for civil disobedience and rallies across the nation, demanding that the transitional military council hand over power to the civilian administration. On early Monday morning, the security forces arrested interim Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other senior officials. Al-Burhan, who is also the leader of the power-sharing executive council, announced a state of emergency throughout the country, citing the necessity for the military forces to guarantee security. 

According to Al Jazeera, he agreed to conduct elections in July 2023 and then take the authority to an elected civilian administration. “What the country is going through now is a real threat and danger to the dreams of the youth and the hopes of the nation,” he said.

The US, UK, and Norwegian governments released a statement late Monday night expressing serious concern about the situation, opposing the suspension of democratic institutions and urging for the release of those arrested.

“The actions of the military represent a betrayal of the revolution, the transition, and the legitimate requests of the Sudanese people for peace, justice, and economic development,” the so-called Troika countries said in a joint statement.

After refusing to publish a statement in support of the coup, Hamdok, an economist and former senior UN official who was chosen as a technocratic Prime Minister in 2019, was moved to an unknown place, according to the information ministry. Thousands of Sudanese protesters headed to the streets in Khartoum, where they were met by gunshots near the military headquarters. Protesters in Omdurman blocked streets and chanted in favour of civilian control. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Hala al-Karib, a Sudanese activist for women’s rights in the Horn of Africa, said that Sudan was going through “very grim moments in its history” as it stands at “a crossroads”.

“The military has dishonoured its agreement with the civilian government by detaining the prime minister and several cabinet ministers,” said al-Karib. “The Sudanese people don’t know if they are safe or not.”

Here is how Sudan reached this point

The military dissolved Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government and the Sovereign Council, a power-sharing assembly of military officials and civilians that had ruled Sudan since late 2019. General Abdel-Fattah Burhan said that the military will rule until July 2023, when elections might be conducted. The senior military officer declared a state of emergency and said a technocratic administration would be created to run the country until elections could be held. His declaration came only hours after the military detained Hamdok and a number of other high-ranking officials and political figures.

What is happening at present?

The United States, European Union, and United Nations have denounced the coup, but much depends on how much leverage they put on Sudan’s military. The country needs international aid to get through its economic crisis. On the other hand, Sudan's generals have close links with Egypt and Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have so far refrained from attacking the coup and instead called for calm. Burhan stated that he is committed to having elections on time. However, a year and a half is a long time, and it is unclear whether the powerful military is eager to surrender its decades-long hold on power. Protesters fear it will steer the process to ensure its control and are vowing to keep up their pressure in the streets, raising the likelihood of new confrontations.

Image: AP