Sudanese opposing the latest military coup are all set for mass protests on Saturday under the slogan “Leave!”. The United States government on Friday appealed to Sudan’s military coup leaders to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters ahead of Saturday’s planned demonstrations opposing the takeover, reported Reuters.
“We call on the security forces to refrain from any and all violence against protesters and to fully respect the citizens’ right to demonstrate peacefully,” a senior State Department official said.
The official called Saturday a real test and real indication of the Sudanese military’s intentions.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the message in a Twitter post later on Friday.
“Sudan’s security forces must respect human rights; any violence against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable,” the post read.
It is estimated that 20 to 30 people have been killed since the military takeover.
Sudanese General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan detained President Abdallah Hamdok and dissolved his cabinet on Monday. The move prompted Western countries including the United States to cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in desperately needed aid to the North African country.
The coup has derailed a transition meant to steer Sudan to democracy after long-serving ruler Omar al-Bashir was toppled two years ago.
In related news, the Sudanese general al-Burhan said the military he heads will soon appoint a technocrat prime minister to rule alongside it within days.
In an interview with Russia’s state-owned Sputnik news agency published on Friday, the Sudanese military coup leader said the new premier will form a cabinet that will share leadership of the country with the armed forces.
“We have a patriotic duty to lead the people and help them in the transition period until elections are held,” al-Burhan told Sputnik.
He assured that the Sudanese security forces will not intervene as long as the expected protests are peaceful.
