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Africa Horn
Assassinations of tribal leaders stoke fears of renewed clashes in South Kordofan
2024-05-10
[SUDANTRIBUNE] Concerns are mounting in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan State, over the potential for violent mostly peaceful tribal confrontations following the liquidations of two prominent Arab tribal leaders.

On May 1, button men fatally shot tribal leader Hamdan Ali al-Boulad outside his home in the Klimo neighbourhood. The assailants escaped to an unknown location.

Al-Boulad, the emir of the Rawwaqa branch of the Hawazma tribe, was also the head of the South Kordofan Farmers’ Union and a leader of the National Umma Party in the state.

Just days later, on May 7, Suleiman Sanad Suleiman al-Shein, the son of the Emir of the al-Dulmba branch of the Hawazma tribe, was similarly bumped off inside his home in the al-Zindiyah neighbourhood.

A prominent community leader in South Kordofan, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, accused the Military Intelligence of the 14th Infantry Division of orchestrating the attacks to incite tribal warfare in Kadugli. This, he warned, could mirror the violent mostly peaceful festivities of 2020, which resulted in the deaths of dozens from the Nuba and Arab tribes.

"Targeting civil leaders in their homes is intended to provoke their communities into seeking Dire Revenge, potentially leading to a total collapse of security," he told the Sudan
...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans...
Tribune. He called on local security and police forces to swiftly apprehend the perpetrators and disclose the findings of their investigations to uncover the motives behind these targeted liquidations.

The liquidations have triggered widespread anger and warnings about the potential for escalating violence in Kadugli. Tribal Death Eaters have begun to mobilize around the villages surrounding the city, raising fears of further conflict.

In response, Brigadier General Moataz Ahmed Kidero, Director of the South Kordofan State Police, announced at a presser on Wednesday that suspects in al-Boulad’s killing had been arrested. He also vowed to capture those responsible for the liquidation of al-Shein.
Link


Africa Horn
Reports emerge of alleged RSF violations in Al-Jazira State, Sudan
2024-02-21
[SUDANTRIBUNE] Concerns are mounting following reports of alleged violations by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians in villages across al-Jazira State, Sudan
...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans...
. These reports come amid an ongoing communication and internet blackout in the region, making independent verification challenging.

Sources affiliated with local resistance committees and political figures claim the RSF conducted raids on several villages, resulting in casualties and property damage. Specifically, reports from the village of al-Uqda al-Maghariba allege at least seven deaths and nine injuries after RSF members opened fire. Similar reports detail deaths and injuries in the villages of Muayjna and Umm Dawana.

Further claims state the RSF looted property and terrorized residents during these raids, with many fleeing to the city of al-Manaqil, currently under army control. The Wad Madani and Hasahisa Resistance® Committees denounce these actions as occurring under the cover of communication blackout and demand accountability.

Former National Umma Party member Siddiq Boulad claimed on Facebook that RSF forces killed ten members of his family and injured 40 others during a raid on their village. However,
some men learn by reading. A few learn by observation. The rest have to pee on the electric fence for themselves...
independent confirmation of these claims remains unavailable.

The RSF took control of al-Jazira State late last year following an army withdrawal. Press reports suggest the army may be developing a plan to retake the state, currently surrounded by the reinforced military presence in neighbouring states.

Amidst these complex and unverified reports, concerns rise regarding the potential impact on civilian lives and the future of peaceful coexistence in Sudan.

Related:
Rapid Support Forces: 2024-02-18 Al-Burhan visits Omdurman after Sudanese army's advancement
Rapid Support Forces: 2024-02-18 Sudanese military leader sets terms for peace and political process
Rapid Support Forces: 2024-02-18 Sudanese army breaks siege of Omdurman's Corps of Engineers
Related:
National Umma Party: 2020-11-02 Sudanese political forces to discuss formation of transitional parliament
National Umma Party: 2020-10-02 Three Sudanese political groups call to normalize with Israel
National Umma Party: 2019-10-23 Sudanese party welcomes Qatar’s readiness to support peace in Sudan
Link


Africa Horn
Sudan’s military agrees to reinstate ousted prime minister, teen shot dead in Sunday protests
2021-11-22
[Garowe] Military and government officials say a deal has been reached between Sudan’s military and civilian leaders to reinstate Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

The officials also said Sunday that government officials and politicians arrested since the Oct. 25 coup will be released as part of the deal between the military and political parties, including the largest Umma Party.

Hamdok will lead an independent technocratic Cabinet, the officials said. They said the U.N., the U.S., and others played "crucial roles" in crafting the deal.

The coup, more than two years after a popular uprising forced the removal of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir
...Former President-for-Life of Sudan He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself head cheese. He fell out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to Arabize Darfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Hee was overthrown by popular consent in 2019. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it...
and his Islamist government, has drawn international criticism. The United States, its allies, and the United Nations
...a lucrative dumping ground for the relatives of dictators and party hacks...
have condemned the use of excessive force against protesters.

Sudanese have been taking to the streets in masses since last month’s military takeover, which upended the country’s fragile transition to democracy. The agreement comes just days after doctors said at least 15 people were killed by live fire during anti-coup demonstrations.

The military has tightened its grip on power, appointing a new, military-run Sovereign Council. The council is chaired by coup leader Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan.

The Sovereign Council will meet later Sunday before announcing the deal, the officials said.

A national initiative formed after the coup that includes political parties and public figures said in a statement that Hamdok would be reinstated and will form a technocratic Cabinet. It said the deal would be signed later Sunday along with a political declaration. It did not elaborate.

Mohmmed Youssef al-Mustafa, a front man for the Sudanese Professionals’ Association, said there is a deal but the SPA would comment when it is announced officially.

The group called on people to take to the streets Sunday to reiterate their demands for civilian democratic rule and denounce any partnership with the military.

Sudan teen shot dead in Khartoum anti-coup protests

[IsraelTimes] A 16-year-old boy was shot in the head and fatally maimed in the Sudanese capital today in a crackdown by security forces on anti-coup protests, medics say.

The death raises to 41 the number of people killed since the October 25 coup, and it comes hours after Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was reinstated, in a breakthrough deal to reverse the military takeover.
Link


Africa Horn
Roads were blocked, shops were shut, phones were down and mosque loudspeakers blared calls for a general strike in Sudan
2021-10-27
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]





Sudan's armed forces chief defended the military's seizure of power, saying he had ousted the government to avoid civil war, while protesters erupted into the streets on Tuesday to demonstrate against the takeover after a day of deadly festivities.

The military takeover on Monday brought a halt to Sudan's transition to democracy, two years after a popular uprising toppled long-ruling Islamist autocrat Omar al-Bashir
...Former President-for-Life of Sudan He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself head cheese. He fell out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to Arabize Darfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Hee was overthrown by popular consent in 2019. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it...
On Tuesday evening, the Sudanese Professionals Association group of trade unions said it had "reports of retaliatory attacks by coup forces on protesters' gathering sites" in the capital Khartoum and other cities, "using bullets, and attempts to break through barricades".

The Facebook page for the office of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, apparently still under the control of Hamdok loyalists, said a number of ministers and civilian politicians were still detained in unknown locations. Witnesses said unidentified people arrested Faiz al-Salik, a former media adviser to Hamdok.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Hamdok on Tuesday, welcoming his "release from custody" and reiterating a call for the Sudanese military to release all civilian leaders in detention, the State Department said.

Speaking at his first news conference since announcing the takeover, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said the army had no choice but to sideline politicians who were inciting against the armed forces. He said the military's action did not amount to a coup.

"The dangers we witnessed last week could have led the country into civil war," he said, an apparent reference to demonstrations against the prospect of a coup.

Hamdok, who was arrested on Monday along with other members of his Cabinet, had not been harmed and had been brought to Burhan's own home, the general said. "The prime minister was in his house. However,
a clean conscience makes a soft pillow...
we were afraid that he’d be in danger so he has been placed with me in my home."

Later on Tuesday, a source close to Hamdok said he and his wife were at their home and under tight security. Family sources said they were unable to reach Hamdok or his wife by phone.

Burhan had appeared on TV on Monday to announce the dissolution of the Sovereign Council, a body set up after Bashir's overthrow to share power between the military and civilians and lead Sudan to free elections.

Siddig Alsadig Almahdi of the Umma Party, which had a representative on the Sovereign Council, was arrested at his home, and activist Ismail al-Tag, a lawyer who was active in the 2019 anti-Bashir protests, was also arrested, Foreign Minister Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi told Al Jazeera TV.

Sudanese ambassadors to 12 countries, including the United States, United Arab Emirates, China, and La Belle France, have rejected the military takeover, a diplomatic source said on Tuesday. Ambassadors to Belgium and the European Union
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
, Geneva and U.N. agencies, China, South Africa, Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
, Kuwait, The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund...
, Sweden and Canada also signed on to the statement, which said the envoys backed popular resistance to the coup.
Related:
Sudan: 2021-10-26 Good Morning
Sudan: 2021-10-26 Sudanese diplomat: Apparent coup won’t dramatically affect Israel normalization
Sudan: 2021-10-26 Sudan’s Beja tribes plan to end shutdowns which have curtailed the fuel supply of the country
Link


-Obits-
Sudan's former premier Sadiq al-Mahdi passes away in UAE
2020-11-27
[DAILYTIMES.PK] Leading Sudanese politician and former prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi died from a coronavirus (aka COVID19 or Chinese Plague)
...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
infection three weeks after being hospitalised in the United Arab Emirates, according to family sources and a party statement early on Thursday.Mahdi, 84, was Sudan’s last democratically elected prime minister and was tossed in 1989 in the military coup that brought former president Omar al-Bashir
...Former President-for-Life of Sudan He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself head cheese. He fell out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to Arabize Darfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Hee was overthrown by popular consent in 2019. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it...
to power.

The moderate Umma Party was one of the largest opposition parties under Bashir, and Mahdi remained an influential figure even after Bashir was toppled in April 2019.

Last month, al-Mahdi’s family said he had tested positive for COVID-19, and was transferred to the UAE for treatment a few days later following a brief hospitalisation in Sudan.



Link


Africa Horn
Sudanese political forces to discuss formation of transitional parliament
2020-11-02
[SUDANTRIBUNE] A spokeswoman for the Central Council of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) Saturday said that the coalition will hold consultations meeting its different partners to discuss the formation of the Transitional Legislative Council (TLC).

In line with the constitutional document governing the transitional period, 67% of the 300 parliamentary seats (201) are allocated to the FFC including the SRF.

After, the formation of an independent block for the SRF and the signing of a peace agreement, the share of the FFC in the transitional parliament has been reduced to 55%.or 165 seats while the SRF including Minnawi group gets 75 seats.

The remaining 60 seats will go to SPLM-N al-Hilu group and other groups supporting the revolution but are not part of the above-mentioned blocks.

"The FFC Central Council instructed a committee on the TLC formation to hold meetings with the Resistance® Committees, the National Umma Party, the Sudanese Professionals Association and the Revolutionary Front to discuss the formation of the transitional parliament," Amina Mahmoud FFC Spokeswoman told Sudan Tribune.

It is worth noting that the TLC has to be formed by the FFC and the military component of the Sovereign Council.

SRF groups had objected its formation before the signing of a peace deal and threatened to not sign a peace agreement with the transitional government.

Besides the control of the government action, the legislative body has a key role in the transition towards a democratic rule in Sudan as it has to pass a new constitution and an electoral law ahead of general elections within three years.
Link


Africa Horn
Three Sudanese political groups call to normalize with Israel
2020-10-02
[SUDANTRIBUNE] Three Sudanese political groups voiced their support for normalization with Israel and called to accept the American offer of normalization, in exchange for removing Sudan from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST).

Mubarak al-Faled leaders of the Umma Party, Abu al-Qasim Imam, chairman of the Sudan Liberation Movement - the Second Revolution and Hameed Mohammed Hamid, a leading remember of the Eastern Front held a joint presser in Khartoum on Wednesday to announce their position in favour of normalization with Israel.

The move of the three groups comes after a recent meeting in Abu Dhabi between Sudanese and U.S. officials to discuss normalization with Israel as part of a deal including Sudan removal from the SST list and a package of support.

However,
it was a brave man who first ate an oyster...
Sudan declined the deal because the proposed support was below its expectations.

"The American proposal is governed by the period of the upcoming presidential elections, and we should not miss this historic opportunity," said al-Fadel.

"After the results of the US presidential elections are announced, we will enter into a major crisis in Sudan if we do not agree to the offer made in the UAE."

"Sudan will not be removed from the terrorism list for many years if we do not take advantage of the existing opportunity," he added.

American will vote on 3 November and the president will be inaugurated on 20 January 2021.

Some Democrat senators from New York and New Jersey are opposed to legislation restoring Sudan sovereign immunities saying Sudan should be for the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Sudan has not been condemned for its involvement in these attacks but some believe that as long as it remains in the SST list, they can easily sue it before the U.S. courts and get a rule against the East African country.

Beside Islamist political groups, there are some other political forces opposed to the normalization with Israel before to reach a peace agreement with the Paleostinians such as the National Umma Party of Sadiq al-Mahdi, the Communist Party, and the Arab nationalist groups.

Prime Minister Hamdok said he told U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo that deep societal dialogue is needed among Sudanese before to normalise relations with Israel.

For his part, Imam announced their intention to form a "political front in support of normalization with Israel."

"We have a consistent common position with the establishment of Sudanese-Israeli relations and we are moving in this direction," he stressed.

The Darfurian politician called on the Sudanese Security and Defense Council to hold an emergency meeting in order to endorse the American offer before the U.S. elections at the beginning of next month.


Link


Africa Horn
Sudanese party welcomes Qatar’s readiness to support peace in Sudan
2019-10-23
[Sudan Tribune] The National Umma Party (NUP) led by Sadiq al-Mahdi, on Monday welcomed Qatar’s readiness to support the Sudanese government’s efforts to achieve peace during the transitional period.

In a recent visit to Khartoum earlier this month, Mutlaq al-Qahtani Qatar’s Special Envoy for Conflict Resolutions announced his country readiness to support Sudan and to use its regional and international relations to achieve peace, stability and development.

Further, in a meeting with the Sudanese Foreign Minister on Sunday, Qatari Ambassador to Khartoum Abdul Rahman Al-Kubaisi reaffirmed his country’s desire to enhance cooperation with Sudan in all fields, especially investment.

"The National Umma Party welcomes this expected position from the brothers in Qatar," said a statement released on Monday evening.

"The party renews its call and appeal to brothers and friends to support the transitional period and provide assistance to peace processes and democratic transition," further said the statement.

The NUP is one of the major groups of the Forces for Freedom and Change that back Hamdok’s government. Also, it is part of the Sudan Call alliance which gathers the NUP, the armed groups under the banner of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front and the Sudanese Congress Party.

Related:
National Umma Party: 2019-08-22 Members of Sudanese ‘Sovereign Council’ revealed
National Umma Party: 2019-06-27 Sudan’s Mahdi rejects call for mass demos on June 30
National Umma Party: 2019-04-10 Sudan opposition says 20 killed since rally at army HQ held
Related:
Sadiq al-Mahdi: 2019-10-18 Sudan hopes for return of foreign businesses
Sadiq al-Mahdi: 2019-10-09 Sudan has received half of $3 bln aid promised by Saudi and UAE
Sadiq al-Mahdi: 2019-09-21 Sudan’s Call meets in Cairo to discuss democratic transition
Related:
Qatar: 2019-10-19 Erdogan Threatens to Restart Syria Operation Tuesday if Deal Not Respected
Qatar: 2019-10-18 SDF will not hand over ISIS detainees to Syria, Turkey: commander
Qatar: 2019-10-18 Hamas blasts rush by Arab states to normalize Israel ties
Link


Africa Horn
Members of Sudanese ‘Sovereign Council’ revealed
2019-08-22
[AAWSAT] After a 12-hour meeting and under increasing popular pressures, leaders of the Forces of the Freedom and Change (FFC) agreed on the six candidates list at the sovereignty council. The council would run the country during the transitional phase of three years and three months.

Muhammad Hassan Taayashi, residing in the UK and candidate of Sudanese Professionals Association, returned to the candidates’ list at the council after he was dismissed earlier – his dismissal sparked a debate over social media.

He was joined by Prof. Siddique Taur, Legal Expert Hassan Mohammed Sheikh Idris, Journalist Mohamed Elfaki Soliman, Dr. Aisha Musa al-Saeed and Legal Counsel Rajaa Nicolas Issa Abdul Masih.

Muhammad Hassan Taayashi

Born in 1973 in Rihed Al Birdi, Darfur, he received his high-school education at Buram then at the University of Khartoum. He joined students of National Umma Party and appeared as an experienced politician. Taayashi left the party in 2009 and moved to the UK, directing his work to the civil sector especially conflicts and wars resolution.

Rajaa Nicolas Issa Abdul Masih

The Transitional Military Council and the FFC agreed on Rajaa Nicolas Issa Abdul Masih as the 11th figure at the council. She is a Christian born in Omdurman, where she received her primary education.

Rajaa received a bachelor in law from Cairo University in 1980, and was appointed at the Ministry of Justice then promoted to become a legal counsel at the ministry.

Dr. Aisha Musa al-Saeed

Born in El-Obeid, north of Kurdufan, Aisha received Education Certificate from Teacher Training Institute in Omdurman and a Masters from the University of Manchester, a higher diploma from Leeds University and Training Teachers to Teach Languages Certificate from the US.

Journalist Mohamed Elfaki Soliman

He politically belongs to the Unionist Alliance, one of the main factions that participated in the popular movement. Elfaki is the youngest at the council, born in 1979. He studied political sciences at the University of Khartoum.

Legal Expert Hassan Mohammed Sheikh Idris

He is from Kassala, east of Sudan, and graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Khartoum in 1972. Then he got involved in state institutions.

Prof. Siddique Taur

He was chosen by the FFC as a member at the sovereign council, and is known for belonging to the Arab Socialist Baath Party.

Link


Africa Horn
Sudan’s Mahdi rejects call for mass demos on June 30
2019-06-27
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Sudan’s veteran opposition leader Sadiq al-Mahdi rejected on Wednesday a call for nationwide mass demonstrations against the country’s ruling generals on June 30.

The remarks by the head of National Umma Party come as the tension between the generals and leaders from the umbrella protest movement, the Alliance for Freedom and Change, remain high after a deadly crackdown on a protest camp killed dozens of demonstrators.

The June 30 rallies called by the alliance coincide with the 30th anniversary of the coup that had brought now ousted leader Omar al-Bashir
Head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself president-for-life. He has fallen out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to Arabize Darfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it.
to power after toppling the then elected government of Mahdi.

"Our opinion is to avoid escalatory measures from either side," Mahdi, who is part of the protest movement, said at a presser at his party headquarters in Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum across the Nile.

Mahdi said any escalation prior to receiving the ruling military council’s response to a power transfer plan proposed by Æthiopia would be "premature".

Æthiopia is mediating talks between the generals and protest leaders since previous negotiations collapsed in the wake of the June 3 crackdown on a protest sit-in outside the army headquarters in the capital.

Æthiopia’s proposal calls for forming a new 15-member civilian-majority governing body, which the protest leaders have accepted but the military council has so far dismissed.

On June 3, gunnies in military fatigues stormed the protest camp, shooting and beating demonstrators who had camped there since April 6. More than 100 people were killed on that day, according to medics linked to the protest movement. Officials say 61 people died.

The generals deny they ordered the dispersal, insisting they had authorized only a limited operation to clear a nearby area of drug pushers. Æthiopia and the African Union
...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
have since stepped up diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in Sudan.

Link


Africa Horn
Sudan opposition says 20 killed since rally at army HQ held
2019-04-10
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Armed men wearing masks have killed 20 people in morning attacks against anti-government protesters massed outside the army headquarters in Sudan’s capital, the country’s main opposition leader said on Tuesday.

Sadiq al-Mahdi, former premier and now a protest organizer against President Omar al-Bashir
Head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself president-for-life. He has fallen out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to Arabize Darfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it.
’s government, said the attacks had been carried out every morning since the sit-in began on April 6.

"There are gunnies in masks attacking people at the sit-in every morning," Mahdi, chief of the opposition National Umma Party, told news hounds in Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum.

"This has left 20 deaders."

Sudan’s Interior Minister Bushara Juma said on Monday that seven protesters died, including six in the state of Khartoum, when security forces dispersed anti-government protests held on April 6.

Officials say 38 people have died so far in protest related violence since demonstrations erupted across Sudan December.

Thousands of protesters have massed outside the army headqurters for a fourth straight day, demanding that the military's top brass back them in demanding Bashir’s resignation.

The demonstration is the latest in nearly four months of anti-government protests that have plunged Sudan into its worst crisis in years. What initially erupted late last year as rallies against a spiraling economy quickly escalated into calls for an end to President Omar al-Bashir’s 30-year rule.

On Monday for the first time, leaders of the protests called on the military’s leadership to abandon al-Bashir and join their call for change. And on Tuesday, they invited military leaders to meet with their representatives to "discuss arrangements for a transition" in Sudan.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, Norway, the UK and the US backed the protesters’ demands, urging Sudanese authorities to "deliver a credible plan" for political transition.

"Failing to do so risks causing greater instability. The Sudanese leadership has a grave responsibility to avoid such an outcome," they said.

Sarah Abdel-Jaleel, spokeswoman for the Sudanese Professionals Association, said the new festivities erupted early on Tuesday between security forces and protesters who have been camping out in front of the military complex in Khartoum for the past four days.

Link


Africa Horn
Sudan opposition leader sentenced to jail for protest
2019-03-11
[PULSE.NG] A Sudanese emergency court Sunday sentenced an opposition leader to a week in jail as police detained several people intent on marching on parliament to protest a state of emergency.

Mariam al-Mahdi -- daughter of opposition Umma Party chief and ex-prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi - was sentenced to a week in prison by an emergency court, Mohammed al-Mahdi, another of the party's leaders, told AFP.

Mariam al-Mahdi and her sister Rabah were among those locked away
Into the paddy wagon wit' yez!
earlier on Sunday.

Protest organisers had called for a march to challenge the state of emergency, imposed nationwide by President Omar al-Bashir
Head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and eventually appointed himself president-for-life. He has fallen out with his Islamic mentor, Hasan al-Turabi, tried to impose shariah on the Christian and animist south, resulting in its secessesion, and attempted to Arabize Darfur by unleashing the barbaric Janjaweed on it. Sudan's potential prosperity has been pissed away in warfare that has left as many as 400,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced. Omar has been indicted for genocide by the International Criminal Court but nothing is expected to come of it.
on February 22.

Bashir's move came after an initial crackdown on demonstrations that have taken place against his iron-fisted rule since December failed to rein in the protest movement.

The president has ordered a slew of tough measures to quell the demonstrations, including banning all unauthorised rallies and setting up special emergency courts to probe transgressions.

Sunday's procession was to start at the Umma Party's offices in the capital's twin city of Omdurman.

"As some of our leaders came out of the party office to lead the march, security agents arrested them," said Mohammed al-Mahdi, who is not connected to the former premier's family.
Link



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