Escalation by Sudan’s security forces triggered bloodshed against civilians: U.S. embassy
May 14, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum deplored the killing of civilians on Monday evening pointing that attempts by the security forces to remove barricades led to the bloody attacks.
Six people including a military were killed and over one hundred wounded when armed elements wearing military fatigues opened fire on the sit-inners in the streets in the vicinity of the army headquarters.
The army accused armed militias belonging to former ruling National Congress Party of carrying out the attacks saying the assaults came after an agreement over the transitional institutions ending a two-week stalemate.
The U.S. embassy in a statement released on Tuesday said the attacks were the results of attempts by the military council to remove new barricades set in Khartoum streets to increase pressures ahead of talks on the power transfer.
“The decision for security forces to escalate the use of force, including the unnecessary use of tear gas, led directly to the unacceptable violence later in the day that the TMC was unable to control,” said the statement.
Further, it called on the military council and the freedom and change forces to “not allow yesterday’s events to prevent them from building on yesterday’s progress to rapidly conclude negotiations to establish a civilian-led transitional government”.
(ST)