KHARTOUM (Reuters). Hundreds of protestors gathered in Khartoum for a nationwide demonstration against the military takeover. Witnesses claimed that Sudanese security forces used tear gas to disperse them.

These demonstrations follow two days following the announcement by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, military leader, of the creation of a new ruling board that does not include the civilian coalition which has shared power with the military since 2019.

The move was condemned by Sudanese pro democracy groups and they pledged to keep up their campaign for civil disobedience against the coup of Oct. 25.

On Saturday, security forces shut down bridges connecting central Khartoum with its twin cities Omdurman (Khartoum North) to pedestrians and vehicles. They also laid barbed wire to prevent access.

Witnesses said that the roads leading to important sites, including the presidential palace, cabinet office, and airport, were also closed.

Witnesses said that protestors began gathering in Khartoum. Omdurman, Khartoum North and Khartoum security forces used tear gas to chase them down side streets and prevent them reaching the central meeting point.

Omdurman demonstrator: “People were amazed that they fired tear gas so soon.” “They fled to their neighborhood and barricaded all streets, but now they are returning to the main street.”

A witness said that large numbers of people gathered in Wad Madani south-east Khartoum to chant slogans such as “Down with military rule” and other similar phrases. Witnesses also reported that there were protests at Kassala, eastern Sudan.

After Omar al-Bashir’s April 2019 uprising, the transition to democracy was halted by the military takeover. High ranking civilian and military officials were held by the security forces. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was also placed under house arrest.

Although a court had ordered that they be restored in Sudan, the internet service has not been available on mobile phones since the coup. This complicates the efforts of the protest movement.

PROTESTS NEIGHBOURHOOD

Local resistance committees, energized by the election of the new council’s ruling members, used flyers to organize smaller protests in their localities.

In a statement, they stated that the coup leaders rejected mediation and settlement and would continue their struggle to bring down the coup.

The United Nations Envoy to Sudan Volker Perthes has called for restraint from security forces and the respect of peaceful assembly rights and freedoms of expression in advance of rallies.

Despite widespread opposition from political groups in Sudan and pressure from Western powers that backed the transition, Burhan has pushed to consolidate the military’s position https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudans-military-rulers-draw-bashir-era-veterans-tighten-grip-2021-11-11. Burhan claimed that the army prevented unrest and accused civilian groups of encouraging opposition.

The World Bank and Western countries have halted economic aid to Sudan in order to pull it out of years of economic isolation.

Burhan’s selection as the Sovereign Council ruler was a source of concern for America and other Western countries.

On Twitter, U.S. National Safety Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that “The U.S. and its partners” urged Sudan’s military leadership to abstain from unilateral actions that would reverse Sudan’s hard-won gains to join the international community.