2023-04-17 15:55:33
A hundred civilians were killed in Sudan, where gunfire and explosions rocked Khartoum without stopping Monday, April 17, on the third day of fighting between the army, led by putschist General Abdel Fattah Al Burhane, and the powerful paramilitary force of General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. Yet another bloodbath in a country that has been trying since 2019 to ensure a gradual transition of power to civilians.
► Sudanese Revolution
On December 19, 2018, demonstrators gather in Khartoum to protest against the high cost of living, as the country is in the grip of a severe economic crisis. The demonstrators demand the departure of President Omar El Bashir, in place for nearly thirty years.
The movement is suppressed by the police. The authorities decide to close all universities and schools for an indefinite period, declare a curfew and arrest several opposition leaders.
► Omar El Bashir overthrown
On April 11, 2019, the Sudanese army overthrew Omar El Bashir, dissolved the government and Parliament. It announces the establishment of a state of emergency for three months.
On August 16, Abdallah Hamdok, an economist, was appointed by the leaders of the protest movement to become prime minister of the future transitional government.
The Military Council at the head of Sudan and the leaders of the protest sign the next day a “constitutional declaration” finalizing a landmark agreement for a gradual transfer of power to civilians. Elections are scheduled after thirty-nine months.
► New coup in 2021
The transition to free elections is not proceeding as planned. On October 25, 2021, General Burhane ordered the arrest of many civilian members of the transitional authorities, in particular the Prime Minister, Abdallah Hamdok, whom he placed under house arrest. He declares a state of emergency.
At least seven people are killed by army fire in Khartoum during massive demonstrations against the putsch. The coup is condemned by the international community. The protests continue despite the crackdown. Arrests of activists and deaths of protesters are on the rise.
On November 11, General Burhane appoints a new Sovereignty Council, without supporters of a transfer of power to civilians. Abdallah Hamdok ends up resigning at the beginning of January 2022.
► Serious humanitarian crisis
After the coup, international funding for aid operations was frozen, notably by the World Bank and the United States. Khartoum thus lost its international aid, ie 40% of its revenue, in retaliation for the putsch.
Sudan is going through a serious food crisis. Inflation is close to 200% every month, the currency is in free fall, and the price of bread has increased tenfold since the putsch. Also, on July 21, 2022, the World Bank announced that it would release 100 million dollars for “money and food transfers”.
► Tribal talks and violence
On October 19 and 20, tribal clashes in the south left around 250 dead, according to witnesses.
On December 5, a first agreement to end the crisis was signed by General Burhane, his second in command, paramilitary General Mohamed Hamdane Dagalo, known as “Hemeti”, as well as several civilian groups.
But discussions are stalling, particularly on the terms of integration into the regular troops of the very dreaded Rapid Support Forces (FSR), made up largely of ex-militiamen, against a backdrop of power struggle between Burhane and Hemeti.
For lack of compromise between the two generals, the signing of the crisis resolution agreement, scheduled for April 1, 2023, has been postponed twice.
► Fighting in Khartoum
On April 13, the army denounced the deployment in towns of General Dagalo’s paramilitaries.
Two days later, Saturday April 15, the paramilitaries claim to have taken control of the international airport and the presidential palace in Khartoum, shaken by gunfire and explosions. They call on the entire population, like the soldiers themselves, to sedition against the army.
On the third day of the clashes, the doctors’ union counted, on Monday, April 17, at least a hundred civilians and ” tens “ of fighters killed, mainly in Khartoum and Darfur.
#endless #upheavals #revolution