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Sudanese Security Forces Use Live Ammunition to Break Up Kassala Protests

Protesters surround security headquarters in Kassala, Sudan (Social Media)
Protesters surround security headquarters in Kassala, Sudan (Social Media)
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Sudanese Security Forces Use Live Ammunition to Break Up Kassala Protests

Protesters surround security headquarters in Kassala, Sudan (Social Media)
Protesters surround security headquarters in Kassala, Sudan (Social Media)

Witnesses say Sudanese security forces fired live ammunition to break up a protest in Kassala, eastern Sudan, against the death of a young man who was reportedly tortured in detention.
On Sunday, protesters surrounded the security office, demanding that those responsible be brought to justice immediately.
The victim, Amin Mohamed Noor, came from a major ethnic group in eastern Sudan, a region long plagued by tribal conflicts.
Videos shared on social media show crowds of protesters running from the sound of gunfire.
Witnesses told Asharq Al-Awsat that hundreds of protesters in Kassala blocked roads and entrances to the Public Prosecution and National Security offices early Sunday morning.
The protesters called for those responsible for the torture and death of Noor to be brought to justice and for the head of the National Security and Intelligence Service to be removed.
Sources reported that both plainclothes and uniformed security forces used live ammunition to break up the crowds around security sites.
It’s not yet clear if there were any casualties or injuries among the protesters. A local group confirmed that Noor was arrested by the National Security and Intelligence Service and died from torture. An autopsy report showed extensive bruising on his body.
The head of the National Security and Intelligence Service in Kassala Brig. Ridwan told the Bani Amer tribal leader that the detained young man had died from breathing problems.
Ridwan also claimed the victim had links to the “Rapid Support Forces.”
However, an autopsy report showed the death was caused by torture, contradicting Ridwan’s statement.
Protesters announced they would close the city’s main market and would not accept the victim’s body until the accused were arrested and brought to justice. They also demanded Ridwan’s removal and full accountability for the incident.
The Kassala Resistance Committees said the security service was fully responsible for the human rights violation leading to the detainee’s death.
Sudan’s Forces of Freedom and Change condemned the security forces’ actions, calling for an immediate and fair trial for those responsible, free from political interference.

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Red Cross Concerned by Drone Attacks on Critical Infrastructure in Sudan

People collect food at a location set up by a local humanitarian organization to donate meals and medication to people displaced by the war in Sudan, in Meroe in the country's Northern State, on January 9, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
People collect food at a location set up by a local humanitarian organization to donate meals and medication to people displaced by the war in Sudan, in Meroe in the country's Northern State, on January 9, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
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Red Cross Concerned by Drone Attacks on Critical Infrastructure in Sudan

People collect food at a location set up by a local humanitarian organization to donate meals and medication to people displaced by the war in Sudan, in Meroe in the country's Northern State, on January 9, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
People collect food at a location set up by a local humanitarian organization to donate meals and medication to people displaced by the war in Sudan, in Meroe in the country's Northern State, on January 9, 2025. (Photo by AFP)

The Red Cross raised alarm on Thursday at the growing use of drone attacks by warring parties on hospitals, electricity and water infrastructure in Sudan, which it said was contributing to widespread human rights violations.

Some 70-80% of hospitals in Sudan were not running and there were concerns cholera could surge due to damage caused by the war to water infrastructure, the International Committee of the Red Cross told reporters in Geneva.

"A recent drone attack stopped all the electricity provision in an area close to Khartoum, which means critical infrastructure is being damaged," said Patrick Youssef, the Red Cross's Regional Director for Africa, in a new report.

"There is a clear increased use of these technologies, drones - to be in the hands of everyone - which increases the impact on the local population and the intensity of attacks," Youssef said.

After two years of fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, some people are returning to Khartoum after they were forced to flee when war broke out on April 15, 2023 amidst a ongoing power struggle between the army and the RSF ahead of a transition to civilian rule.

Some 12 million people have been displaced by the conflict since 2023.

"We have seen violations of the law left, right and center,” Youssef said, urging the warring parties to allow the Red Cross access so it can offer humanitarian support and document atrocities.

In March, aid groups told Reuters that the RSF had placed new constraints on aid deliveries to territories where it was seeking to cement its control. Aid groups have also accused the army of denying or hindering access to RSF-controlled areas.

Both sides in the conflict deny impeding aid.