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Crowds of protesters have been camped in front of army headquarters since Saturday. By – (AFP)
Thousands of Sudanese protesters camped outside the army headquarters for a fifth night on Wednesday, calling on President Omar al-Bashir to resign, while Washington expressed hope after police ordered do not intervene.
Faced with what has become the biggest challenge of Bashir's three decades of rule, protesters continued to invade the vast complex at night, singing and dancing to the sound of revolutionary songs, witnesses said.
"People are coming in droves," said a spectator without revealing his name for security reasons.
"Men and women from all over Khartoum and other cities are arriving for what they call a night shift."
The sprawling complex was lit by a sea of light when protesters brandished their cell phones as torches.
"I hope our revolution will achieve its goal," said Alaa Salah, nicknamed the "Nubian Queen" of the protest movement, following the pbadage of a video clip showing that she was singing with protesters in front of the headquarters of the army.
A student in architecture and engineering, Salah told AFP that women were "largely" participating in protests "not only for their rights, but for the rights of the entire community."
"If you see the history of Sudan, all our queens have run the state, that's part of our heritage."
The Sudanese Professionals' Association (ASP), which launched the protest movement in December, urged women to continue protests in front of the army complex and other military bases.
– The death toll –
The protesters braved regular stacks of tear gas from members of the powerful National Security and Intelligence Service (NISS) since the start of their camp at Army headquarters on April 6, organizers of the protest said. .
The sprawling complex was lit by a sea of light when protesters brandished their cell phones as torches. By – (AFP) But for the first time on Tuesday night, they were faced with no "threat" from security agents, said a protester who had requested anonymity for security reasons.
That happened after the death of 11 people, including six members of the security forces, during protests in the capital, government spokesman Hbadan Ismail told the official news agency. SUNA.
According to officials, 49 people have died as a result of demonstrations-related violence since demonstrations began in December.
The United States reiterated its calls Wednesday in Khartoum to allow peaceful demonstrations.
Tibor Nagy, Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, said he was "comforted" by the relative calm recorded Tuesday night.
"We call on the Sudanese government to respect the right of all Sudanese people to express their grievances peacefully," he tweeted.
On Tuesday, the United States, Great Britain and Norway for the first time put their weight behind the protesters.
"The time has come for the Sudanese authorities to respond seriously to these popular demands," the Khartoum embbady said in a statement.
"The Sudanese authorities must now react and present a credible plan for this political transition."
Detailed map of Khartoum locating the demonstration area near the army headquarters since April 6th. By (AFP) Sudan, along with Iran, Syria and North Korea, is on the blacklist of states sponsoring terrorism.
Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden lived in Sudan between 1992 and 1996.
On Tuesday, security agents had to cut off their offers to disperse the crowds when soldiers thwarted their tear gas firing by firing in the air, witnesses said.
The NISS declared that it "monitored the demonstrations and discharged its duty in accordance with the law".
"With other security forces, we have the ability to arrest illegal elements."
– posted troops –
The Sudanese police ordered his forces not to intervene against the protesters.
"We call on God to preserve the security and calm of our country (…) and to unite the Sudanese people (…) for an agreement that would support the peaceful transition of power," he said in a statement. communicated.
According to witnesses, the soldiers had parked several vehicles loaded with machine guns at the doors of the complex. By – (AFP) On Wednesday, protesters raised funds to ensure a steady supply of food and water for the crowd.
"Many traders and businessmen offered us free supplies," said one protester.
Protesters installed five large screens in the complex to watch football games, a spectator said.
According to witnesses, soldiers parked vehicles loaded with machine guns at the gates of the army complex, which also houses the Bashir residence and the Ministry of Defense.
"The soldiers of the complex are also angry after the tear gas attacks and are determined to prevent them," said another protester at AFP.
The SPA said that "several members and leaders" of the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF) had indicated that they would join the movement.
Crowds of protesters sang and danced to the sound of revolutionary songs, witnesses said. By – (AFP) RSF is composed of Arab militias who fought alongside government forces against the rebels in the Darfur region of western Sudan during the early years of the regional conflict.
The ruling National Congress party, Bashir, said the rallying plans to support the president on Thursday had been postponed.
Bashir remained provocative in the face of protests that erupted on December 19 in response to the government's decision to triple the price of bread.
They quickly embarked on a national campaign against his government with rallies in towns and villages.
In response, Bashir imposed a series of harsh measures, including a national emergency, which led to the arrest of many journalists and activists.
The organizers of the event also issued an appeal to the army for it to discuss the formation of a transitional government.
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