Sudan: security forces disperse protesters against political agreement

Sudan’s security forces dispersed protesters yesterday in demonstrations against the political framework agreement signed in December last year by military and civilian leaders in the country, Anadolu has reported. The agreement is supposed to have ended the political impasse and institute a two-year transitional civilian authority.

According to Anadolu, thousands of Sudanese took to the streets in the cities of Khartoum and Omdurman. “We are heading to the Presidential Palace to get our voice heard by the officials,” said one of the protesters. “We will not stop before reaching a democratic civilian state.”

He added that the intention is to continue resistance using all peaceful means to end the “military coup” and get the authority handed over to a civilian government that meets the goals of the revolution.

However, before reaching the palace, the protesters were reported to have been dispersed violently by the security forces. Sound bombs and tear gas canisters were fired at the protesters, who threw stones at the security forces. Several roads leading to the palace were closed.

READ: Sudan forces sign ‘political consensus document’ for a new government

Earlier this week, Sudan’s army Chief of Staff General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan denied that the military was planning to turn against the framework agreement. “The armed forces are not planning to turn against what has been agreed upon,” he insisted in a speech in Nile River State in northern Sudan. “Rather, the army seeks to get the Sudanese to unite to take the country out of the current situation, and is trying to find solutions.”

Some civil society and other bodies signed a “political consensus document” in Cairo yesterday. The Intention, they explained, is “to start consultations to implement a new road map to end the current transitional period.”