Sudan petroleum company staff to join anti-coup protests 

Workers at Sudan’s state petroleum company Sudapet said today they would join a nationwide civil disobedience movement called by trade unions in response to the military’s overthrow of the government, and doctors also announced a strike, Reuters reports.

A group of neighbourhood committees in Khartoum have announced a schedule of further street barricades and protests leading to what it said would be a “march of millions” on Saturday.

“We announce joining the civil disobedience in support of the people’s decision backing the civil democratic transformation and until this demand is achieved,” Sudapet said in a statement carried by the Sudanese Professionals Association.

The Unified Doctors’ Office, which is made up of different unions, said: “As we promised and previously announced we would enter a general strike across Sudan in the event of a coup, we are keeping to our word and timing completely.”

READ: Sudanese protesters shut pipeline transporting oil to Khartoum

Sudan’s armed forces chief yesterday defended the military’s seizure of power, saying he had ousted the government to avoid civil war, while protesters took to the streets to demonstrate against the takeover.

Monday’s coup brought a halt to Sudan’s transition to democracy, two years after a popular uprising toppled long-ruling Islamist autocrat Omar Al-Bashir.

Yesterday evening, the SPA said it had reports of attacks by coup forces on protesters’ sites in the capital Khartoum and other cities. It said they had fired shots and tried to break through barricades.