Thousands of Sudanese rally against military, again
Thousands of Sudanese take to the streets again to demonstrate against the military rule of their country, and the security forces responded by firing tear gas at them.
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Sudanese protesters rush to the aid of a wounded protester after security forces fired tear gas during a rally in the capital Khartoum on December 19, 2021 (AFP)
Sudanese security forces fired tear gas Tuesday at protestors rallying in defiance of the military rule in Khartoum and other cities following the coup that toppled the civilian-led government and handed the rule to the Sovereignty Council.
Just two days after the resignation of Prime Minister Abdala Hamdok, protestors rallied against the military, shouting, "No, no to military rule," and called for the disbandment of the ruling council headed by General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, who led the coup on October 25.
Streets leading to the presidential palace and army headquarters were sealed off by large amounts of troops, riot police, and paramilitary units, witnesses said.
Security forces fired tear gas near the palace and later at another rally north of the capital and in the eastern city of Port Sudan.
Hundreds of protesters also gathered in Omdurman following invitations to demonstrate "until victory" on Tuesday morning. The total of people across the country amounted to thousands.
Sudanese anti-coup activists are intensifying their calls for demonstrations after the security forces upped their violence against demonstrations, which has led to the death of 57 civilians and left hundreds injured.
The coup leader, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, pledged that he would hold general elections in mid-2023, but despite his promises, demonstrations continued against the coup and the political agreement Al-Burhan signed with then-Prime Minister Abdala Hamdok, which the Sudanese public saw as an act of treason.
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok announced Sunday his resignation.
"The transitional government in Sudan suffered from various challenges, but it was able to deal with all of them," he said in his resignation speech.
Hamdok's resignation came after the Sudanese forces killed Sunday two protestors in Omdurman.
Arab League respects Hamdok's decision
Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Tuesday he respected Hamdok's decision, calling for "urgent action" to resolve the crisis.
On the day of the coup, Arab League Secretary-General Aboul Gheit expressed his concern over the developments in Sudan and called on all parties to adhere to the constitution.
In his statement, Aboul Gheit said all the decisions regarding the transitional period in Sudan "must be respected" and elections should be held on time.
He also stressed the need to refrain from any measures that will disrupt the transitional period or destabilize Sudan.
UN expresses regret
UN Chief Antonio Guterres "regrets that a political understanding on the way forward is not in place despite the gravity of the situation in Sudan," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Monday.
