Protesters in Sudan mark Eid al-Adha with an anti-army sit-in

• Sudanese protestors commemorate Eid al-Adha with a sit-in against the army chief’s ouster.
• Military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was deposed in an October coup.
• Civilian umbrella groups called Burhan’s promise of a civilian government a “sham”.

KHARTOUM: Protestors in Sudan held a sit-in against military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his October coup on Saturday to commemorate Eid al-Adha.

Protesters have kept calling for the army chief to step down, even though he promised to make way for a civilian government a few days ago. However, the country’s largest civilian umbrella group quickly called his promise a “sham.”

People were sceptical about Burhan’s unexpected move, and as protests went on on Thursday, pro-democracy groups announced the formation of a “revolutionary council.”

On Saturday, an imam used the microphone typically used for protest chanting to deliver the Eid sermon in the capital’s twin city of Omdurman, where a sit-in continued.

After the prayer, protester Ibrahim al-Haj told AFP that demonstrators hoped to demonstrate that “no matter what is happening in the country, our message is ongoing.”

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In October, Burhan spearheaded a coup that stalled a transition to a civilian administration, sparked near-weekly protests, and prompted key donors to suspend desperately needed financing, deepening Sudan’s economic crisis.

The protests against Burhan were reignited on June 30, when tens of thousands gathered and, according to pro-democracy doctors, nine people were killed by security forces.

According to medical personnel, 114 people have been killed in the crackdown by security forces against protesters since the October coup.

On Saturday, worshippers displayed flags bearing the faces of protestors murdered in the crackdown.

“We are committed to the martyrs’ rights,” Haj told AFP. “We are not going to forget our martyrs, even for a day, no matter what.”

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