Sudan: Bashir's party urges protests after arrests

KHARTOUM

Sudan’s Islamic Movement on Tuesday called on supporters to stage rallies after dozens of members of the movement and former President Omar al-Bashir’s party were arrested.

In an audio message, the movement’s Secretary-General Ahmed Karti urged supporters to maintain the peaceful nature of their protests. He also called on the security forces to protect public and private property.

Last week, security forces rounded up dozens of members of the Islamic Movement and Al-Bashir’s National Congress Party, according to local media.

There was no comment from the Sudanese government on Karti’s call for protests.

Meanwhile, the Forces for Freedom and Change alliance, which spearheaded the protests that led to Al-Bashir’s ouster in 2019, called on the Sudanese prosecution to arrest supporters of the former president reportedly involved in recent acts of vandalism in the country.

On Dec. 10, the chairman of Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, formed a committee to bring Al-Bashir-era officials to accountability over corruption.

Al-Bashir’s party, however, said the move was politically driven and aimed to take revenge from the party.

In April 2019, Al-Bashir was forced out from power by the military after mass protests against his three-decade rule, and a Sovereign Council was formed upon an agreement between the Sudanese army and opposition leaders to lead the country for a transitional 3-year period.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara.