Hundreds of thousands of people marched to the presidential palace in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, on Sunday in protest of the military coup on Oct. 25, witnesses reported, attracting tear gas and stun grenades from security forces.
The marches marked the third anniversary of the demonstrations that sparked a popular movement that resulted in the ouster of long-ruling tyrant Omar al-Bashir.
Protests against the coup have continued even after the prime minister was reinstated last month, with demonstrators asking that the military be removed from all aspects of governance in order to allow for free elections.
In a statement issued late Saturday night, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok warned that Sudan’s revolution had suffered a serious setback and that political intransigence on all sides jeopardized the country’s unity and stability.
Security personnel cordoned off main highways leading to the airport and army headquarters, and were strongly stationed near the presidential palace with joint army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors says 45 people have been killed in crackdowns on protesters since the coup.
Civilian parties, and neighborhood resistance committees that have organized several mass protests, demand full civilian rule under the slogan “no negotiation, no partnership, no legitimacy.”
According to witnesses, thousands arrived in bus convoys from neighboring states, notably North Kordofan and Gezira, to join the protests in Khartoum on Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
