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Sudan demonstrators march on presidential palace, army headquarters

March 23, 2019 at 1:31 pm

Sudanese protesters attend an anti-government demonstration in the capital Khartoum on 14 February 2019 [AFP/Getty Images]

Demonstrators in Sudan yesterday marched on the Presidential palace and army headquarters in the capital Khartoum.

Khartoum yesterday witnessed an influx of demonstrators after Friday prayers, who marched out of the Wad Nubawi neighbourhood in Omdurman city, west of the capital. The neighbourhood is the stronghold of the leader of the Umma National Party, Sadiq Al-Mahdi, according to the Sudanese Congress opposition party.

The party added that hundreds of people joined the march, calling for “the fall of the regime” of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir. On its Facebook page, the party shared pictures and videos of demonstrations in the neighbourhoods of Al-Mohandeseen, Al-Shabiya, Shambat, Al-Taif, and Berri in Khartoum.

Earlier on Friday, a group belonging to the Sudanese Professionals Association – a trade union NGO – and opposition coalitions announced that the demonstrations would continue for the next two weeks. They also called for boycotting institutions, companies, banks, newspapers, and satellite channels which are believed to support the Sudanese security forces. 

Read: Sudan emergency court sentences opposition party deputy head to prison

“We invite you to use the economic boycott weapon against institutions and companies that are working to sponsor the Sudanese security apparatus, with the aim of suppressing and arresting dissidents,” the group said in a statement.

It added: “Economic boycott campaigns are a peaceful and social form of protest and their success depends heavily on collective participation.”

Since 19 December, Sudanese cities have witnessed protests condemning exorbitant prices and demanding the resignation of Al-Bashir. Acts of violence during the protests have caused the death of 32 people, according to government statistics. Amnesty International, however, declared on 11 February that the number of casualties amounted to 51.

Read: Calls for release of detained protesters rejected by Sudan authorities