Sudan: Security forces fire tear gas to disperse protesters in Khartoum on August 17 /update 1

Event

Sudanese security forces have reportedly fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Khartoum who were staging a commemorative rally on Monday, August 17. The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) stated that security forces violently dispersed protesters after they demanded to meet Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and refused an envoy sent in his place, after which they began blocking roads with burning tires outside the Cabinet Office.

Further associated protests are likely in Khartoum and other areas of Sudan in the near term.

Context

Sudan is currently in a three-year transition period under a joint civilian-military administration after the long-serving president Omar al-Bashir was ousted amid widespread anti-government protests in April 2019. However, pro-democracy groups under the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition and the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) have continued to press for the expedited transfer to full civilian rule ahead of elections in 2022.

Advice

Those in Khartoum are advised to avoid the vicinity of the rally in order to mitigate the risk of exposure to potential crowd disturbances, opportunistic crime, and police crowd control measures. Travelers are further advised to closely monitor local media for updates regarding disruptions caused by the events.