Sudanese popular committees announce anti-coup measures

KHARTOUM, Sudan

Popular committees in the Sudanese capital announced measures and rallies Thursday to protest a military coup against civilian rule.

The Sudanese Professional Association (SPA) published a statement by popular committees of Bahri neighborhoods in northern Khartoum, which announced a timetable that extends to Nov. 17 of peaceful activities such as rallies, public speeches, blocking roads and general civil disobedience.

The statement said the Sudanese people "won't allow any military or political group whether internal or external to steal the souls that departed us and the blood that spilled," in reference to mass protests that ousted long ruler Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.

The head of Sudan’s ruling military council, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, declared a state of emergency on Monday and dissolved the transitional Sovereign Council and government.

The move was slammed by the African Union, which suspended Sudan from activities until it restores civilian rule. The World Bank suspended aid to the country and the US followed suit, in addition to the wide condemnation worldwide.

Before the military takeover, Sudan was administered by a sovereign council of military and civilian authorities which had been overseeing the transition period until elections in 2023 as part of a precarious power-sharing pact between the military and the Forces for Freedom and Change coalition.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara