Sudan’s al-Bashir moved to jail
● Demonstrators holding position until army backs out, civilian government in place
Sudan’s military rulers have transferred ousted president Omar al-Bashir to prison, a family source said on Wednesday, as demonstrators kept up their sit-in outside the army complex calling for a swift transfer to civilian government.
After the dramatic end to alBashir’s rule of three decades last week, he was moved late on Tuesday to Kober prison in Khartoum, the source said.
Witnesses near the prison in north Khartoum said there was a heavy deployment of soldiers and members of a paramilitary group outside.
Al-Bashir’s whereabouts have been unknown since a military takeover on Thursday, when the country’s new rulers said he was being held in a secure place.
The detention of al-Bashir has failed to pacify protesters, who launched anti-government demonstrations in December and have for days been camped out in front of Khartoum’s army headquarters.
Sudan’s military rulers have made some concessions to protesters, including the sacking on Tuesday of prosecutorgeneral Omer Ahmed Mohamed, but demonstrators fear their uprising could be hijacked.
“We faced teargas, many of us were jailed – we have been shot and many have died,” protester Fadia Khalaf said.
Officials say at least 65 people have been killed in protestrelated violence since December, with some of those killed immortalised in a Khartoum mural.
While there have been scenes of celebration – with demonstrators singing and waving their national flag – the protest site has grown more tense amid concerns the army would try to clear the sit-in with force.
“Now we fear that our revolution could be stolen, which is why we are keeping our ground here,” Khalaf said.
Earlier this week, witnesses said several army vehicles had surrounded the area and that troops were removing the barricades put up by demonstrators as a security measure.
On taking power on Thursday, the army said a military council would run the country for two years, sparking an immediate backlash from protest leaders who have issued a series of demands.
Just a day later former defence minister General Awad Ibn Ouf stepped down as council chief, sparking jubilation on the streets of Khartoum.
His successor, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, oversaw talks with political parties, which failed to make headway.
Sudan’s foreign minister has said al-Burhan is committed to having a complete civilian government and called on other nations to back the council.
The African Union has threatened to suspend Sudan over the coup, giving it just 15 days to hand over to civilian rule, while the UN has appointed a new envoy to work with the AU on mediating an end to the crisis.