US envoy visits Sudan in crisis

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The American diplomat in charge of African diplomacy is going to Sudan this week in the midst of unrest, the US State Department announced on Monday.

Tibor Nagy, US Assistant Secretary for Africa, "will call for an end to attacks on civilians".

The workers staged a national strike, which began Sunday, to pressure the ruling military government to give way to a civilian regime.

Four people were killed on the first day of the strike after security forces fired tear gas and live ammunition.

The State Department said Nagy would "urge the parties to work for the creation of a favorable environment" so that talks resume between the two sides.

He will also discuss the situation with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who tried to mediate between the military council and the opposition in Sudan before moving on to Mozambique and South Africa. South.

What happened during the strike?

Monday remained calm in Khartoum, although some companies have begun to reopen and some buses are running.

Most of the capital's stores, markets and banks, as well as several other cities, remained closed on Monday, with staff following the instructions of the Sudanese Professionals' Association (PAS), which advocates for democracy, forbade him to work.

The SPA called for a strike after more than 100 peaceful protesters were killed by a paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), on 3 June.

"The civil disobedience movement will begin Sunday and will end only when a civilian government comes to power on state television," the SPA said in a statement.

"Disobedience is a peaceful act that can bring the world's most powerful weapons arsenal to its knees."

The protesters set up roadblocks in the capital. Social media users with access to a connection reported that the ruling military government was blocking the internet in the country.

Image caption: A man sails around an improvised roadblock

In another development, three rebel leaders were deported from the city to southern Sudan.

One of the three, Yasir Arman, had only returned to Sudan last month, after years of exile after being sentenced to death in absentia.

What is the background?

The army sacked longtime president Omar al-Bashir in April after months of protests against him. A military council promised a transition to a civilian regime.

But activists for democracy say that one can no longer trust the military council after the crackdown on Monday against a sit-in protest in Khartoum – and they rejected an offer of talks.