Khartoum protesters build barricades, defy Sudan V-P’s appeal to open roads

Public anger erupted on the streets of Khartoum on Monday night after the commander of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and effective Vice-President as deputy-head of the Transitional Military Council (TMC), Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan (aka Hemeti), appealed to protesters to re-open roads, bridges, and railway lines, to allow normal logistical traffic to resume.

Hemeti’s appeal was met with jeers and chanting “the revolution has just begun”.

Youths and protesters erected barricades in the periphery of the main sit-in that has been sustained in front of the General Command of the Sudanese army since April 6.

The barricades include makeshift stone walls and barbed wire, while some protesters dug trenches.

‘Situation tense’

Protesters also set fire to tyres in several areas of Khartoum North.

“What we feel from all the actions of the military council until now is that they are not serious about handing over power to civilians,” Mohamed Naji El Asam, spokesman for the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), said in Khartoum.

“With the passing of time the powers of the military council are expanded and this is a very big danger for the Sudanese revolution,” he said.

“The military council has the chance to participate in the state that we are working on … but might lead us to the risk of straying into something unpleasant,” said Khalid Omar, one of the leaders of the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces.

“We will continue the sit-in until the achievement of the goals of the revolution. Our demand is clear and that is civilian authority.”