Coup in Sudan: Military violence and street resistance

Clashes between soldiers and street protesters in Khartoum leave seven dead and 140 injured. The Security Council is expected to hold a closed-door meeting on the situation in Sudan. The United States has suspended $700 million in aid to the country.

Unrest and resistance in the Sudanese capital against a military coup has been accompanied by bloody clashes. Despite the declaration of a state of emergency, many young people blocked the city's streets and demonstrated against the military.

Reuters reports that seven protesters were killed and 140 injured in street shootings, citing Sudanese medical officials.

The Forces for Freedom and Change, the main Sudanese opposition coalition pushing for Bashir's ouster, called on citizens on Twitter to stand up to military rule through civil disobedience, peaceful demonstrations and street closures.

Sudan's Ministry of Information has also called on the public to resist, saying that employees of the country's central bank have gone on strike to protest the coup. According to the ministry, dozens of government officials and civilian members of the Sovereign Council have been arrested, including the director of the Khabar television network.

Sudan's Ministry of Intelligence, which remains loyal to the country's ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, emphasized on its Facebook page that the army's actions are a crime and that, according to the transitional constitution, only the prime minister has the right to declare a state of emergency.

Reuters writes, citing diplomats, that the UN Security Council is likely to hold closed-door talks on Sudan on Tuesday (October 26).

Meanwhile, the US State Department announced that it would suspend a $700 million economic aid package for Sudan. A spokesperson for the department said that Washington had no knowledge of the whereabouts or condition of interim Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

The internet is currently down in Sudan, and airports have suspended all domestic and international flights.

The military has placed Abdullah Hamdok under house arrest. According to media reports, four government ministers and Hamdok's press advisor have also been arrested.

Hamdok became Sudan's interim prime minister after Omar al-Bashir was removed from power and the Sovereignty Council took office in 2019.

Many countries around the world have condemned the coup in Sudan. The United Nations, the Arab League, and the African Union have expressed concern about the current situation in Sudan.

Moussa Faki, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, called for the immediate release of political leaders and respect for human rights in Sudan. Britain called the military coup a “betrayal of the people” and France called for the immediate release of Hamdok and other civilian leaders. Egypt called on all parties to exercise restraint.

The Sudanese Professionals and Workers Association, which was one of the organizers of the uprising against Omar al-Bashir, has called for a strike. Sudan's two main parties, the Ummah and the Sudanese Congress, have also strongly condemned the coup and the arrests of people.

Source: DW