Sudan: what are the forces of repression at work in the streets of Khartoum?

Soldiers of the regular army in front of the presidential palace, October 16, 2021. REUTERS - EL TAYEB SIDDIG

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Sudanese security forces on Wednesday increased the arrests of activists and demonstrators in an attempt to end opposition to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's coup.

At the end of the day, they still faced demonstrators determined to maintain the barricades of their " 

 ".

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With our correspondent in Khartoum,

In all areas of Khartoum, soldiers continue their raids on barricades and the civilian population. In Oumdurman, or in the district of Burri, armed patrols did not hesitate to open fire on Wednesday to disperse the crowds by force. Many activists are hunted down, beaten up, humiliated by the armed forces. In the streets, we find both regular army soldiers but also militiamen from the Rapid Support Forces, paramilitary units under the command of Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as

. 

Several sources confirm that soldiers of Gibril Ibrahim and Mini Arko Minnawi are also out. These two former rebel leaders had ascended to political positions - respectively finance minister and governor of Darfur - after signing the Juba peace accords. Today, they have taken the head of a new political faction which recognizes the military coup of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. 

The arrests of opponents do not stop.

Figures of civil society, activists and journalists are detained in unknown places.

Many see Hemeti's hand in it.

His two brothers recently made visits to Russia, the Emirates and Israel and are said to benefit from cutting-edge technologies to track down opponents.

Hemeti has been

since Monday, but he plays a central role in this coup. 

► Read also: Sudan: "A mobilization is urgent to push the military to go back"

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• Sudan

• Abdel Fattah al-Burhan