Sudan’s leading general declared a state of emergency Monday
Sudan army shoots dead two, wounds 80 anti-coup protesters, medics say
Sudanese soldiers killed two people and wounded more than 80 others Monday when trying to stem protests against the country’s military coup, the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors said.
“Two people were killed in gunfire by forces of the military council coup,” said the independent union of medics. It said doctors have also counted “more than 80 wounded”.
UN chief condemns Sudan ‘coup’, urges PM’s ‘immediate release’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the Sudanese military’s takeover and urged the immediate release of civilian prime minister Abdalla Hamdok. “I condemn the ongoing military coup in Sudan. Prime Minister Hamdok and all other officials must be released immediately,” Guterres wrote on Twitter.
I condemn the ongoing military coup in Sudan. Prime Minister Hamdok & all other officials must be released immediately. There must be full respect for the constitutional charter to protect the hard-won political transition. The UN will continue to stand with the people of Sudan.
pm Paris time
- Federal workers on strike; information ministry, Sudanese Professionals Association, others announce ‘civil disobedience’
The ministry of culture and information also announced on Monday that “workers of federal and state ministries and civil service institutions” are going “into a strike” as well as starting a campaign of “total civil disobedience” as a “refusal of the military coup until the power is handed over to civilians”, it wrote on Facebook.
The Sudanese Professionals Association, a main activist coalition in the uprising against Bashir, meanwhile called on supporters to mobilise after what it called the arrest of cabinet members. “We urge the masses to go out on the streets and occupy them, close all roads with barricades, stage a general labour strike, and not to cooperate with the putschists and use civil disobedience to confront them,” the group said on Facebook.
Sudan’s bankers’ association and doctors’ union on Monday also declared campaigns of “civil disobedience”.
African Union calls on release of Sudanese political leaders
African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said Sudan’s political leaders should be released and human rights respected.
“The Chairperson calls for the immediate resumption of consultations between civilians and military … The Chairperson reaffirms that dialogue and consensus is the only relevant path to save the country and its democratic transition,” Mahamat said in a statement.
Sudanese doctors committee says pro-government protesters injured
Several pro-government protesters were injured when Sudanese soldiers opened fire on them with live rounds, a Sudanese doctors’ committee said on its Facebook page according to Reuters.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemns ‘attempted coup’
Macron tweeted in support of Sudan’s transitional government and called for the immediate release of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
“France condemns the attempted coup in Sudan in the strongest terms. I express our support for the Sudanese transitional government and call for the immediate release and safety of the prime minister and civilian leaders,” said Macron on Twitter.
La France condamne avec la plus grande fermeté la tentative de coup d’État au Soudan. J’exprime notre soutien au gouvernement de transition soudanais et appelle à la libération immédiate et au respect de l’intégrité du Premier ministre et des dirigeants civils.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 25, 2021
General Burhan dissolves government, declares state of emergency
In a televised address, General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan announced that he was dissolving the country’s ruling Sovereign Council, as well as the government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Burhan is a military officer who headed the Sovereign Council, a power-sharing ruling body.
Burhan said a new technocratic government would lead the country to elections. He set the date for elections at July 2023. He said quarrels among political factions prompted the military to intervene. He also announced the suspension of the anti-corruption task force.
In response, thousands flooded the streets of the capital, Khartoum, and its twin city of Omdurman to protest the apparent military takeover. Footage shared online appeared to show protesters blocking streets and setting fire to tyres as security forces used tear gas to disperse them. Protesters could be heard chanting, “The people are stronger, stronger” and “Retreat is not an option!” as plumes of smoke filled the air. Videos on social media also showed large crowds crossing bridges over the Nile to the centre of the capital.
Sudan’s information ministry responded that Burhan’s announcement amounted to a military coup.
Live bullets fired on protesters, information ministry says
Armed forces fired live rounds at Sudanese people who took to the streets of Khartoum to protest against Monday’s apparent coup, the information ministry said.
“Military forces have fired live bullets on protesters rejecting the military coup outside the army headquarters,” the ministry said in a statement on Facebook, adding that “casualties are expected”.
Significant’ international reaction to events in Sudan
“The US has said it is extremely alarmed, the European Union has said it expresses the utmost concern at what is going on. There has been a significant amount of international reaction,” says Angela Diffley, FRANCE 24 international affairs editor.
“For the moment, nobody knows the whereabouts of Prime Minister Hamdok and it has been said on state television that (Sudanese) General al-Burhan will be taking to the airwaves shortly to make a statement.”
‘Hundreds of pro-military demonstrators’ take to streets of Khartoum
“I’ve seen hundreds of pro-military demonstrators taking to the streets, armed with sticks. I have been told that the military are controlling the main bridges linking the city to neighbouring cities. They have also taken control of the national television and radio stations. They will issue a statement very soon,” says FRANCE 24 correspondent Bastien Renouil, speaking from downtown Khartoum.
“I cannot move anywhere at the moment, we don’t know yet if the military will allow journalists to work freely.”
SOURCE FRANCE 24
