Cairo: A Sudanese doctors’ group said Monday that the country’s security forces have prevented injured protesters from getting treatment and targeted hospitals since top generals initiated a coup last month.
The military have stopped ambulances carrying injured protesters from reaching hospitals, police have entered emergency rooms, arrested patients, and fired tear gas inside at least two hospitals in the country’s capital since the October 25 coup, according to a report from The Unified Office of Sudanese Doctors.
At least 41 protesters have been killed in anti-coup protests in Sudan since generals deposed the country’s civilian government, according to the latest tally on Sunday from the Sudan Doctors Committee, which has been keeping track of protest-related deaths.
The latest victim was a 16-year-old protester, who died from a gunshot to the head in demonstrations against a new power-sharing deal between the military and the country’s deposed prime minister.
There was no immediate response from the country’s military or police, who have both been accused by the United Nations’ top human rights body of using excess force against the pro-democracy demonstrations. There have been repeated calls by the United States and Western countries on the coup leaders to allow civilians to protest peacefully.
But police officials have in recent days tried to distance themselves from any role in the violence, saying their forces in the streets are not armed and that there have been instances of violence committed by the protesters. They have repeatedly pledged to investigate reports of deaths.
On Sunday, Sudan’s deposed prime minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a deal that will see him reinstated, almost a month after a military coup put him under house arrest. The agreement envisions an independent, technocratic Cabinet to be led by Hamdok until elections can be held. Even then, it would still remain under military oversight.
In response, thousands of Sudanese took to the streets to denounce what many called a betrayal of the democratic cause by their former prime minister, who has been the civilian face of the transitional government since it took power after a 2019 popular uprising deposed long time autocrat Omar al-Bashir. Security forces fired tear gas and live ammunition in some locations, according to activists.
The statement by the office of Sudanese doctors said that police fired tear gas inside the Khartoum Teaching Hospital on Sunday, near the intensive care unit and neonatal ward.
A large number of the demonstrators have been killed by gunshots fired by security forces, according to the committee.