Sudanese protestors take to streets once more

• Sudanese protesters erected impromptu street barriers of rocks and tyres for the seventh day on Wednesday.
• Military leader Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan sacked the country’s final civilian members of the executive council.
• Since October, 114 people have been killed in clashes with security forces.

JEDDAH: Sudanese protesters erected impromptu street barriers of rocks and tyres for the seventh day on Wednesday, as military leader Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan sacked the country’s final civilian members of the executive council.

Burhan has promised to “make room” for civilian groups to form a new transitional government after he gets rid of the ruling Sovereign Council, which he leads.

Members of the council said they hadn’t been given any official notice, so they were surprised to find that their official cars had been taken away.

Protesters have sought a return to civilian government despite repeated crackdowns by security personnel, who have used live ammunition, tear gas, and water cannons. Since October, 114 have been killed.

The military and civilian groups came together in 2019 to form the transitional government that Burhan overthrew last year. This happened after huge protests forced the army to get rid of dictator Omar Bashir.

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The Forces for Freedom and Change, the largest civilian alliance in Sudan, described Burhan’s recent move as a “massive farce” and “tactical retreat.” They also asked for “continuous public pressure,” and on Wednesday, protesters returned to the streets of Khartoum.

Democracy campaigners believe the army leader has made such measures before.

In November, one month after the coup, Burhan made a deal with Abdalla Hamdok, the prime minister he had fired and put under house arrest, to put him back in charge.

However, many citizens rejected the agreement and returned to the streets, prompting Hamdok to quit in January, warning that Sudan was “crossing a dangerous turning point that threatens its whole survival.”

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