Sudan Unrest: security apparatus repeats attacks on hospitals, arrests doctors
January 14, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese security forces Sunday fired tear gas and real bullets on Khartoum North Hospital and other medical facilities in other towns said a statement issued by the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate.
The riot police and other security forces on Wednesday 9 January attacked the emergencies department and fired tear gas inside Omdurman Hospital where wounded protesters were receiving treatment.
However, Khartoum state government condemned the attack and ordered to investigate into the attack.
But the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate, one of the groups of the Sudanese Professionals Association, said in a statement on Sunday that the police fired tear gas inside Bahri Teaching Hospital and Haj Al-Safi Hospital both in Khartoum North where a huge protest was organized by the opposition groups on Sunday.
According to the statement extended to Sudan Tribune, in Bahri hospital, the doctors had to treat three cases of suffocation with tear gas and one person wounded on his head by a tear gas volley.
The same for Haj Al-Safi Hospital where one person was injured at his head by a gunshot and another wounded on the head also without indicating the cause of his wound, besides three cases of suffocations by tear gas.
“This is a typical repetition of the attack that took place against Omdurman hospital on the 9th of January,” said the group in a separate statement in English.
According to the group, security forces in Madani city of Algazira State fired tear gas grenades near the Obstetrics and Gynaecology wards in Madani General hospital “excessively without any consideration to the status of the admitted patients and expectant women”.
DOCTORS ARRESTED
In a related development, the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate reported that the security forces arrested Dr Hiba Omer, a general surgeon in Khartoum and Dr Ammar Ahmed from the Urology OR in Nyala. Both of them have been arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The statement, in addition, said a number of doctors have been arrested in Port Sudan hospital and Madani hospital but it didn’t provide their names.
The security service targets the doctors, as they are perceived among the active cells in the organization of the unrest.
Over ten doctors have been arrest last week including the spokesperson of the Sudanese Professionals Association Mohamed Nagi Alassam and Ahmed Elsheikh; Head of the doctors’ syndicate.
(ST)