Death toll in December 30 protests in Sudan rises to six

January 1, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The death toll from the bloody crackdown of anti-coup protests on December 30 rose to six people on Saturday, said the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD).

According to the CCSD, the last victim Abdallah Abbas Aroussi “died of gunshot injuries to his pelvis” during his participation in the December 30th demonstration in Khartoum twin city, Omdurman.

With Aroussi’s death; the overall death toll since the 25th October coup has risen to 55.

The Sovereign Council on Friday decided to investigate brutal repression on December 30 and to hold accountable the security forces responsible for the grave human rights violations.

Last week, the head of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan decided to give the General Intelligence Service (GIS) the power to arrest civilians during the state of emergency

The Emergency Order also provides immunity for the agents and protection from civil lawsuits for the GIS’s officers and other public officials.

The repression of protesters has intensified after the appointment of Ahmed Ibrahim Ali Mofadl, as a new appointed Director-General of the General Intelligence Service (GIS) on November 27.

Mofadl, a known Islamist, recently reappointed several former security officers who like him were part of the former National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).

He appointed  Lt. Gen. Taj Elsir Osman Alsanjek, former NISS Director of the Internal Security Service, as Assistant Director for Internal Security Affairs, Gen Yasir al-Tayeb al-Mahdi, as Adviser on Foreign Security and Intelligence Affairs, and Babikir al-Austa as Manager of Detention Facilities.

(ST)