A sit-in that has been going on in the Sudanese capital Khartoum since the weekend has turned into violent clashes between protesters and security forces. The country’s Information Minister, Hassan Ismail, has reported at least eleven people killed in the clashes on Wednesday, including six security forces. Activists spoke of up to 14 dead.
Algeria as a hopeful role model
The protests in Sudan have been growing for several months. After the Algerians were able to push their long-term ruler Abdelaziz Bouteflika out of office, the rallies have become as big as they have been for a long time. Many see the outcome of the protests in Algeria as an encouraging signal, as some protesters put it, „I hope the Sudanese revolution is also successful, and we certainly want a change for young people.“
Probably hundreds of thousands demonstrated during recent days in Khartoum and elsewhere against the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has ruled the country authoritarian for 30 years.
Seat strike lasts for days
At the weekend, government critics had gathered near the Ministry of Defense in Khartoum for the sit-in. Since then security forces try to dissolve the action. From the ranks of the protesters it was said that since the beginning of the sit-in a total of more than 20 people were killed.
However, there were also reports of soldiers solidarizing and protecting themselves against the protesters.
Protests originally due to weak economy
The protests started in December. This was triggered by rising bread prices, galloping inflation and a lack of cash. The severe economic crisis has caused the wave of protests to rise to Baschir’s biggest challenge ever since it came to power in 1989 through a military coup.
