Sudan: 100th person killed in anti-coup protests

A protester was shot and killed by security forces in the Sudanese city of Omdurman yesterday, medics say, making them the 100th protester killed in anti-coup demonstrations since October, Reuters reports.

The protester, the second death after the lifting of a state of emergency on 29 May, was most likely killed by buckshot, said the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors.

Demonstrations have continued since a military coup in October, organised by neighborhood resistance committees. Most of those killed in the protests have been young men. Military leaders have promised investigations into the deaths.

Protests flared in Omdurman yesterday in response to a visit by military leader General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.

The country has been without a prime minister since January and a UN and African Union process to come to a political agreement announced direct talks between political groups this week.

However, the former ruling civilian coalition, the Forces of Freedom and Change, said in a statement it would not participate in the talks as they included parties they said were supportive of the coup. Resistance committees reject any negotiation with the military.

Al-Burhan’s lifting of the state of emergency imposed since the coup was described as a trust building measure. However, one protester was shot and killed on Friday, less than a week later.

READ: US stops supporting Sudan over military coup, urges Israel to do the same