On January 24, new protests were organized by political oppositions in the main cities of Sudan, especially in Khartoum. The intervention of security forces has unfortunately caused one victim and six wounded, thus fueling the protest and the protesters’ grievances.
The Sudanese Unified Doctor’s Office (UDO) accused the same day the security forces of having arrested nine doctors in the capital of the country, of which six foreigners (three French, one Italian, one Yemeni and one Pakistani) and three Sudanese. The doctors arrested, according to information released by the UDO are all of the organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) who worked at the Jawda hospital in Khartoum, and their arrest would be due to the care given to demonstrators injured in the clashes. The same MSF has since confirmed the release of the doctors the next morning.
In terms of political developments, it is necessary to point out that even the government forces led by the military authorities have taken a stricter stance towards the UN special envoy Volker Perthes, demonstrating how the capacity of the United Nations in the Sudanese crisis is in deep crisis both in terms of relations with the government and with the opposition forces. On January 29, in fact, General Mohammad Hamdan Dagalo, vice president of the Sovereign Council of Transition, caustically commented on the role of the UN in Sudan, stating that the special envoy Perthes should “act as a facilitator, and not as a mediator”.
New demonstrations were then held in Khartoum and other cities of the country on January 30, fortunately without recording victims or injuries, despite the use of tear gas by security forces and clashes near the presidential palace. Demonstrations of a certain size have also occurred in Port Sudan, Darfur and Madani.
The protests, as always promoted by the Association of Sudanese Professionals and the Committees for Resistance, demand an end to military rule and an immediate transition towards elections for the establishment of a civilian executive.
Finally, on 27 January, US President Joe Biden appointed John Godfrey as ambassador to Sudan, after 25 years of absence of a Washington ambassador in the country.
