Sudan’s Khartoum is reportedly emitting heavy machine gunfire noise as protesters accuse the military of attempting to break up their sit-in.
Sudanese security forces have used live ammunition in a major operation to disperse protesters from a central Khartoum sit-in, killing at least 13 and injuring dozens more, according to a medical association.
Heavy machine gun fire heard in Sudan’s Khartoum as protesters accuse the military of attempting to break up their sit-in: https://t.co/ombGMlUjJ7 pic.twitter.com/VtW6XdDfTn
— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) June 3, 2019
A full freeze on negotiations has been announced and a civil disobedience across Sudan is in play.
The news of the crackdown sparked sporadic unrest around Khartoum. Thousands of protesters were reported to have blocked roads with stones and burning tyres in Omdurman, the twin city neighbouring the Sudanese capital. Other estimates put the death toll at 10.
Protestors speaking on AlJazeera Live. Everyone is beat up, out of breath but morale is high. Protestors are angry. New chants already being voiced. “If you disperse the sit-in, we will protest in every street.” “You’ll have to kill us all”.
Smoke was seen rising from several locations in Khartoum and at least one bridge across the Nile was reported to have been blocked by burning tyres.
The sit-in has been the centre of a campaign to bring democratic reform to Sudan, which has been ruled by a military committee since the fall of the dictator Omar al-Bashir in April.
Witnesses reported that security forces belonging to the feared Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had surrounded and entered hospitals, firing weapons, beating medical staff and injuring protesters.
“The protesters holding a sit-in in front of the army general command are facing a massacre in a treacherous attempt to disperse the protest,” said the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), the group that spearheaded nationwide protests that started in December.
Things in #Khartoum are really bad. The military is trying to break up the sit in at army headquarters. Civilians have been chased into hospitals and tear gassed there. People on the ground are asking for support and solidarity from allies. #Sudan
— Nanjala Nyabola (@Nanjala1) June 3, 2019
Now in #Sudan more than 100 injured with limited access to medical resources. #SudanUprising #فض_اعتصام_القيادة_بالقوة#مجزرة_القيادة_العامة pic.twitter.com/5q6X8735TC
— Afia El Hassan (@AfiaElHassan) June 3, 2019
We're back to square one.
-violence
-killing
-arrests
-Sudan's national TV acting oblivious again and not televising the massacre.
-attacking anyone who tries to documentWhat's left?
Social media blackout?It was all an act. #SudanUprising #اعتصام_القيادة_العامة
— Scintilla (@errfnern) June 3, 2019
Many streets are empty in Khartoum and flights are being cancelled and delayed as handling companies join the strike.
https://twitter.com/illusigram/status/1135523463291113472