On Thursday, a senior Sudanese leader Mohamed Mukhtar Al-Khatib was arrested as protests against military rule raged in the capital Khartoum for the seventh month, with tear gas and significant security force deployment.
A military coup in October effectively put a stop to a 2019 power-sharing agreement between the generals who deposed President Omar al-Bashir and opposition political organizations.
The Sudanese Communist Party says Al-Khatib was arrested on Thursday during a visit to Juba where he met with top Sudanese rebel leaders.
The party, which has been the most outspoken in its opposition to the coup and any future agreement, said it was pursuing a united front against the coup.
Sudan’s economy has suffered as a result of the government’s lack of a prime minister since January. Businesses are stagnant, while food, power, and fuel prices have risen dramatically.
“The military has failed economically, politically and psychologically – in every way,” said a 30-year-old protester and unemployed engineer who declined to give his name for fear of retribution. “They are just being stubborn now, but we are more stubborn.”
Security personnel, including the US-sanctioned Central Reserve Police, were posted at strategic sites along the demonstration route as the demonstrators marched under the scorching sun.
