As thousands of pro-democracy protesters marched to the presidential palace in Khartoum on Tuesday to demand an end to military rule, Sudanese security forces opened fire with tear gas.
Despite increased security and the shutdown of important routes and bridges in the capital, there were a lot of protesters carrying Sudanese flags.
Since the country’s junta, commander Lt Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan toppled a civilian-led administration in October 2021, derailing a transition to democracy, there have been weekly protests.
Since then, while security forces frequently used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse protests, the Sudanese Central Doctors Committee has confirmed approximately 119 fatalities.
Distrust between opposition parties and the junta has hampered political negotiations to reinstate civilian authority, giving the latter the upper hand in advance of elections scheduled for next year.
Lt Gen Burhan has centralized control around the army in recent months and rehabilitated loyalists of former long-serving president Omar al-Bashir, who was overthrown in April 2019.
Western donors have been obliged to stop giving money due to the political impasse, severely harming Sudan’s already fragile economy.
