Tear gas shot at a Sudan anti-coup rally
As a UN expert arrives, tear gas is shot at a Sudan anti-coup rally demonstating against last year's military coup.
According to AFP, Sudanese security forces shot tear gas at protestors opposing last year's military coup, as a United Nations human rights expert arrived in the nation. Protesters were marching toward the presidential palace in central Khartoum, holding Sudanese flags and posters of victims slain in recent anti-coup rallies.
One of the demonstrators, Thoyaba Ahmed, said, "We are ready to protest all year."
Sudan has been witnessing continuous protests in a number of cities and provinces against the measures adopted by Sovereignty Council chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan on October 25, whereby the sovereignty council was restructured, a number of officials were arrested, and the government of Abdullah Hamdok was overthrown.
Hamdok was reinstated as Prime Minister following a new deal with Al-Burhan, which some Sudanese powers opposed, and was lauded by international countries.
"We want to rectify our country's situation to have a good future," demonstrator Wadah Khaled told AFP.
According to an independent medical group, at least 81 people have been murdered and hundreds have been injured in a harsh crackdown on rallies.
"We need to make sacrifices to resolve the country's issues," 25-year-old demonstrator Arij Salah said.
Meanwhile, UN human rights specialist Adama Dieng is in Sudan until Thursday.
"Dieng will meet with senior Sudanese government officials, representatives of civil society organizations, human rights defenders, heads of UN entities, and diplomats," the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights stated this week.
Separately, dozens of people gathered outside a court building in Khartoum on Sunday to protest the prosecution of numerous Bashir-era politicians.
Former Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour is among those on trial, accused of organizing a coup in 2020.