UN calls for reverse of military coup

THE UN secretary general has urged Sudan’s generals to reverse their takeover of the country.

This call comes a day after tens of thousands of people took to the streets in the largest prodemocracy protest since last week’s coup.

Antonio Guterres said the generals should “take heed” of Saturday’s protests, tweeting: “Time to go back to the legitimate constitutional arrangements.”

He was referring to a powersharing deal that established joint military-civilian rule following the removal of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir and his Islamist government in April 2019.

The UN envoy for Sudan, Volker Perthes, said he had met Abdalla Hamdok, the deposed prime minister who remains under house arrest in the capital Khartoum:

“We discussed options for mediation and the way forward for Sudan. I will continue these efforts with other Sudanese stakeholders.”

Guterres expressed concern about violence against protesters on Saturday, calling for perpetrators to be held accountable. At least three people were shot dead when security forces opened fire on protesters in Omdurman, a city close to Khartoum.

The overall number of people killed since Monday’s coup has risen to 12, according to the Sudan Doctors’ Committee and activists, and more than 280 others have been injured over the past week.

General Abdel-Fattah Buhran, who led the coup, has claimed the takeover was necessary to prevent a civil war, citing alleged growing divisions among political groups.

The UN mission for Sudan is working to facilitate dialogue between the military and civilian leaders.