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In the city of Omdurman, for example, Sudanese took to the streets to protest the military coup
Photo: - / AFP
There are first reports of deaths during mass protests by the democracy movement in Sudan against the military rulers.
At least two civilians were killed in the city of Omdurman on Saturday from gunfire by militiamen, according to the national medical committee.
The panel announced via Twitter that the dead had gunshot wounds in the head and stomach area.
After the coup in the north-east African country, a National Day of Resistance had been called for this Saturday.
Protesters demand reinstatement of the transitional government
Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated against the military coup in Sudan on Saturday.
In the capital Khartoum alone, there are six-digit numbers of demonstrators on the streets, eyewitnesses reported.
The protesters called for the restoration of the civilian-led transitional government and a return to the path of democracy.
Rallies were also reported in the east and north as well as central Sudan.
There had already been protests against the actions of the military in the past few days.
At least 11 demonstrators were killed in clashes.
The UN Security Council unanimously condemned the coup.
The interim government had to be reinstated and all those arrested by the military had to be released immediately, it had said.
The military dissolved the government on Monday and declared a nationwide state of emergency.
Sudan had been ruled by Omar al-Bashir for almost 30 years.
In April 2019, the long-term ruler was driven out of office after mass protests and a military coup.
As a result, the military and the civil opposition agreed on a joint transitional government that would pave the way for elections.
Numerous reforms followed, which enabled the oil-rich but impoverished country to free itself from decades of isolation.
The coup now threatens the loss of these hard-won achievements, to which broad sections of the population are vehemently resisting.
svs / dpa / AP / Reuters