Africa

Raids On A Protest Camp In Sudan Lead To Over A Dozen Deaths

Forces were trying to clear a protest sit-in outside the Sudanese army's headquarters.

Raids On A Protest Camp In Sudan Lead To Over A Dozen Deaths
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Security forces launched a raid on a protest camp in Sudan's capital on Monday. A medical group linked to protesters reports at least 13 people died and hundreds were injured in the capital city of Khartoum. 

Forces were trying to clear a protest sit-in outside the Sudanese army's headquarters. That protest camp has been an important part of demonstrators' attempts to gain civilian control of the country. 

Here's some context: Protests first started in December after the government cut subsidies on fuel, bread and other staples. They quickly escalated into calls for Sudan's longtime president, Omar al-Bashir, to step down. Dozens of people died in the protests. 

In April, Bashir was ousted in a military coup, which then took control of the government, promising to hand it over to civilians. And last month, a Sudanese military spokesman said military and civilian protest leaders agreed to transition to a fully civilian administration after a three-year period. But protesters want a quicker transition to a civilian government. 

After hearing reports of the Monday raid, one of the groups organizing the protests called for all civilians in all Sudanese cities and towns to "go out in marches, and block all streets and bridges in order to protect the revolution." It also called for "general civil disobedience" until the transitional military council is "toppled." 

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.