Protesters marched through the streets of the capital Khartoum, chanting anti-military slogans and waving flags. Pro-civilian protests also took place in other Sudanese cities on Thursday, news agency Reuters reported.
The Sudanese Professionals Association, a body that helped organize the 2019 Sudan uprising, said protesters protesting against the military were found with tear gas at the gates of parliament in Omdurman. The organization said in a statement that the tear gas was “intended to incite and push violence”, but called on its supporters to remain peaceful.
“There is no turning back from the streets until power is handed over,” it said.
Since the overthrow of longtime president Omar al-Bashir in 2019, military and civilian groups have been sharing power in the East African country in an uneasy coalition called the Sovereign Council.
A civilian leader, Mohamed al-Feqi, told CNN that the pro-civilian protesters were calling for the preservation of the values of democratic transition and revolution that were achieved after the 2019 uprising.
“We are all moving forward to support a democratic change and give an elected government [to the people],” he said.
A CNN reporter said the military headquarters had been cordoned off by the protests, but saw little security among the protesters. Trucks carrying protesters reached Freedom Square in the capital.
Reuters reported that plumes of smoke could be seen as protesters burned tires and waved Sudanese flags.
The news agency said the protest took place on the anniversary of the country’s 1964 October Revolution and was preceded by smaller neighborhood protests. The military says it is committed to the transition to democracy and elections in late 2023.
“We encourage protesters to remain peaceful and remind them of the strong US support for Sudan’s democratic transformation,” the US embassy in Khartoum tweeted on Wednesday ahead of the protests.
Yasir Abdullah reported from Khartoum and Mustafa Salem from Abu Dhabi.
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