A pregnant woman was killed on Wednesday in clashes between Sudanese protesters and security forces near an ongoing sit-in outside army headquarters in Khartoum.
According to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD), the woman was killed by a “stray bullet” when security forces attempted to disperse the sit-in. The incident took place on the second day of a nationwide general strike organized by the protest and opposition groups alliance to put pressure Sudan’s ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) to make way for a civilian-led interim government.
The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) condemned the death describing it as “the irresponsible behavior of the Sudanese security forces, who are supposed to preserve citizens’ security and safety”, reported Aljazeera.
The protest group went on to demand that those responsible for the woman’s death be held to account for their actions.
Sudan’s military took over the reins after it dethroned former long-ruling leader Omar al-Bashir on April 11 following months of anti-government protests. The protests initially erupted in December over soaring prices, cash shortages and other economic hardships. The military set up the Transitional Military Council (TMC) to rule the country and promised to hand over power after elections.
But the people of Sudan continued with the protests demanding civilian rule in the country at the earliest possible date. There have been several rounds of talks between the TMC and an alliance of protest groups, but the sovereign council’s composition remains the main point of contention.
An agreement on some important aspects of the transition including a three-year timeframe and the creation of a 300-member parliament has been met. However, an agreement over the composition of the new sovereign body is yet to be made. The new sovereign council will run the country for the next three years before elections. The protestors are demanding the council to have a civilian head and a civilian majority.
