- The slain protester died after “taking a bullet in the chest” during the rallies in Khartoum
- The latest death brings the toll of a repression of anti-coup protests to 97
KHARTOUM: Sudanese security forces killed a protester on Saturday during the latest mass demonstrations against last year’s military coup, doctors said.
The slain protester, yet to be identified, died after “taking a bullet in the chest” during rallies in the capital Khartoum, said the pro-democracy Central Committee of Sudanese doctors.
The latest death brings the toll of a crackdown on anti-coup protests that have taken place regularly since the October 25 military putsch led by army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan to 97, the committee said.
Thousands of people took to the streets on Saturday in different parts of Khartoum to protest the seizure of military power and renew demands for civilian rule.
The coup overturned the transition to civilian rule following the ousting of autocratic President Omar Al-Bashir in 2019, following mass protests against his three decades of iron-fisted rule.
Sudan, one of the poorest countries in the world, has been rocked by a free-falling economy due to decades of international isolation and mismanagement under Bashir.
The United Nations, along with the African Union and the regional IGAD bloc, have pushed to facilitate Sudan-led talks to resolve the crisis.
But civilian forces refused to enter into negotiations involving the military, while Burhan repeatedly threatened to expel UN envoy Volker Perthes, accusing him of “interference” in the country’s affairs.
After the coup, Sudan suffered cuts in international aid and economic turmoil.
