Sudan Opposition Demands International Probe Into Deadly Crackdown On Khartoum Protest

The Sudanese opposition calls for an international investigation into the deadly military crackdown on a democratic sit-in protest in Khartoum in early June, a leader of the opposition Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, Siddiq Youssef, told Sputnik on Wednesday

KHARTOUM (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th June, 2019) The Sudanese opposition calls for an international investigation into the deadly military crackdown on a democratic sit-in protest in Khartoum in early June, a leader of the opposition Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, Siddiq Youssef, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) said that its fact-finding committee would soon release the final results of its own probe into the June 3 crackdown. The council also ruled out the opportunity of an international investigation.

"We shall not recognize the [investigation] results of the committee, formed by the interim council with the help of the general prosecutor's office for investigating the dispersal of sit-in protests at the square [in Khartoum]. We demand that the international committee investigates it together with the military council members," Youssef said.

If the TMC rejects these conditions before resuming negotiations, the opposition will continue the protest, Youssef added and said that the Declaration Forces will name their candidates to enter the ruling council and take the prime minister office when right times come.

On June 3, the army opened fire at a camp of sit-in protesters in Khartoum. According to different estimates, up to 60 people could have been killed, including at least 19 children, and hundreds more were wounded. Protesters were there since April 6, demanding the military resigns and hands power over to civilian rule.

Long-standing popular protests in Sudan culminated in a military coup on April 11, when then-President Omar Bashir was overthrown and detained after almost 30 years in power. The TMC took over and pledged to organize a new presidential election within two years. The protesters have meanwhile remained in the streets demanding that the military yield power to a civilian authority.