Prosecutors in Sudan announced the results of an official probe on Saturday into a widely condemned crackdown on peaceful protesters in June, reigniting public anger.
Fathel-Rahman Said, the head of the investigative committee, said 87 people were killed when security forces violently cleared a protest camp on June 3 in the capital, Khartoum. He added that 168 people were wounded, 48 of whom were hit by bullets.
While the death toll is higher than the Health Ministry's previous estimate of 61, protesters say at least 127 people were killed and 400 were wounded.
Ongoing pressure
Protesters had been holding a sit-in outside the military's headquarters since April to pressure the military council to hand over to civilians following the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir.
After the release of the probe's findings, hundreds of protesters once again took to the streets of the capital on Saturday.
"The martyrs' blood is not gone! We wear it as a scarf!" demonstrators said as they barricaded roads and set fire to tires.
In certain neighborhoods, police fired tear gas and stun grenades. Unlike in previous demonstrations, Sudan's security forces were not seen.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
Breaking fast during the protests
For weeks — even during Ramadan — thousands of protesters camped outside Sudan's defense ministry, demanding a transitional council in which civilians could decide the future of the country. In early June the military moved in and forcefully removed the protesters. Dozens of people died and those who survived reported rapes, sexual abuse, and the use of force.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
For the love of the country
A protester holds up the national flag outside the army headquarters. His demand: that Sudan's Transitional Military Council hand over power to the civilians. This, the protesters believe, will be an important step towards democracy.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
Warning signs
In early June, just days ahead of the crackdown on the sit-in, the military increased its presence on the streets. Many protesters predicted that the army would not want to hand over power. This was what they hoped for after the ousting of longtime president, Omar al-Bashir.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
The end of an era
From 1989 until his April 2019, Omar al-Bashir ruled Sudan. He suppressed critics. In 1999 he even dismantled parliament in order to maintain his grip on power. His name will, however, be remembered for his handling of the Darfur crisis. His troops' harsh response led to thousands of deaths, and for that, he is wanted for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
A dictator in court
Many Sudanese had been waiting for this day for a long time — the day when Omar al-Bashir would have to face a court. On June 16, he appeared before prosecutors, accused of corruption and the illegal possession of foreign currency. After being ousted, security forces found over one million US dollars stashed away in his villa.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
The voice of the women
Many women actively participated in the protests, and they gave the protests a different face. Their presence underlined the protesters' demand for democracy and equal rights. During the brutal crackdown by security forces, many women reported sexual abuse and rape as a means to silence them.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
The Nubian queen - an icon of the revolution
Architecture student Alaa Salah became the face of the revolution. A photographer shot this picture as she stood on top of a car and addressed protesters. Photos and videos of her protest chants trended on social media. Online she is known as "Kandaka" or the Nubian queen.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
International solidarity
Thanks to social media, the protests rapidly caught international attention and support from human rights groups and Sudanese living abroad. In a statement, the EU's foreign ministers urged for an immediate end to all forms of violence against Sudanese civilians.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
Some still support the military
But not all Sudanese civilians are against the army. Some people, in fact, want a tough military rule to give the country security and strength. The army supporters have placed their faith in General Abdel Fattah Burhan, the head of the Transitional Military Council.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
The strongman in the background
The real power, however, lies not with General Abdel Fattah Burhan, but his deputy, General Mohammed Hamdan Daglu, also known as "Hemeti." He heads the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) who cracked down brutally on the protesters. During the war in Darfur, he commanded the feared Janjaweed militias. The protesters fear that he could, in the end, take over power.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
No end in sight to the protests
The protests continued unabated throughout June. Military leaders on Monday, June 23, turned down a proposal for a power-sharing deal. The protest leaders, represented by the coalition Forces for Declaration of Freedom and Change, which includes the Sudanese Professionals Association, had accepted the deal which was negotiated with the help of Ethiopia.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
Power-sharing deal negotiated
On July 5, members of the military and the protest movement announced they had reached a deal to share power. For the next three years, a transitional council consisting of six civilians and five military figures will lead the country. Democratic elections will then be held. People in Khartoum celebrated the news, though the practicalities of implementation could cause conflict to reignite.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
Help from the Gulf
Politicians of other Arab nations continue to watch the developments in Sudan with a certain degree of concern. Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, it is believed, fears that successful grassroots protests could set an example for citizens in the Arab Peninsula. Both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia appear to be supporting the military regime.
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Sudan: From protests to power struggle
The neighbor in the North
Cairo seems similarly concerned about the events in Khartoum. Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (pictured l. with Omar al-Bashir in 2018) fears that the Muslim Brotherhood, which Eygpt has been trying to silence, could fall on fertile ground in Sudan. If the Muslim Brotherhood gains support in Sudan, al-Sisi believes that its success might strengthen the group again in Egypt.
Author: Kersten Knipp
Officers to face charges
Prosecutors also said that the country's generals did not order the deadly crackdown and instead placed blame with paramilitary forces, saying they exceeded and violated orders.
Said told a press conference that security forces were only told to clear a high-crime area near the protest camp, but not to break up the protest itself.
Members of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) then violated orders, with one officer ordering his forces to whip protesters.
Said added that eight RSF officers, including a major general, have been charged with crimes against humanity.
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The women of Sudan's protests
The returnee
Khadija Saleh lived abroad for six years before she returned to her homeland in March to take part in the anti-Bashir protests. "I came back from a safer place because I want a better future for this country," the 41-year-old said.
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The women of Sudan's protests
The activist
On June 3, security forces violently disbanded a protest camp near the Ministry of Defense in Khartoum. Nahid Gabralla, 53, was beaten and threatened with rape. "My daughter deserves to live in a nice country... we will fight for a democratic Sudan, real change and for our rights"
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The women of Sudan's protests
The adviser
Hadia Hasaballah works for an NGO that takes care of the victims of the June 3 crackdown. Witnesses and activists reported that women were sexually abused during the operation. The government has not confirmed the reports. "None of the Sudanese women will officially say that they were raped because of the stigma," Hasaballah said.
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The women of Sudan's protests
The silent fighter
Under al-Bashir's rule, women were forced to adhere to strict codes of conduct. They could be arrested if they wore trousers. Mahi Aba-Yazid wore trousers while she took part in the protests at the camp on June 3. She too was beaten by security forces. The 35-year-old believes that her choice of clothing has had more of an impact than her engagement.
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The women of Sudan's protests
The self-determined student
"I don't want to wear headscarf, but it is not my choice. I want my right to wear what I want," says Duha Mohmed. The 23-year-old student explains one of the reasons she took part in the protests.
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The women of Sudan's protests
The optimist
Nagda Mansour sat for 75 days in a prison because she took part in a demonstration in December. The 39-year-old translator has a problem with accepting the idea of negotiating with the military because of its role in the war in Darfur. The agreement protesters have made to share power with the military is in her eyes only "the beginning, not the end."
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The women of Sudan's protests
The mother
Manal Farah, 49, begged her son not to take part in the protests because she feared the violence. The 22-year-old student was killed on June 3. "When he started in university he started to ask why there is corruption in Sudan. He said there must be a change, a new Sudan ... I pray for my son's dreams to come true," she said.
Author: Sabine Faber (with Reuters)
The opposition coalition Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) has rejected the committee's findings, calling for an independent inquiry.
Protesters also rejected the probe's finding that "no cases of rape" had taken place during the crackdown, despite reports from local medics saying women had been raped.
The violence was strongly condemned by the United Nations Security Council, and led to a breakdown in talks between protest leaders and the military.
The two sides recently agreed to form a joint civilian-military ruling body for a 39-month transitional period.
rs/se (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)Every evening, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.
