Protests in Sudan Over Worsening Economic Situation

Demonstrators attend a protest rally in Khartoum, Sudan (File Photo: Reuters)
Demonstrators attend a protest rally in Khartoum, Sudan (File Photo: Reuters)
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Protests in Sudan Over Worsening Economic Situation

Demonstrators attend a protest rally in Khartoum, Sudan (File Photo: Reuters)
Demonstrators attend a protest rally in Khartoum, Sudan (File Photo: Reuters)

Protests erupted in a number of neighborhoods in the Sudanese capital against soaring inflation, food shortages, and power cuts.

Dozens of demonstrators blocked the streets in Khartoum and Omdurman, setting up barricades and burning tires to voice their anger against the security services’ failure to deal with the chaos.

The soaring prices and difficult economic situations had prompted a number of citizens to denounce the performance of the transitional government, chanting against its policies.

They demanded the authorities achieve the goals of the revolution: freedom, justice, and peace.

The demonstrators said the transitional government failed to hold members of the old regime accountable for their crimes, calling for the announcement of the government, the formation of the legislative council, and retribution for the killers of the revolution's martyrs.

The federal government increased the prices of bread, electricity, fuel, and liquid gas, leading to long queues at the bakeries and gas stations.

The cabinet announced it was lifting the subsidies of basic commodities, in light of a sharp increase in inflation rates, which has reached about 254 percent in December.

The exchange rate of the Sudanese pound fell sharply, as one dollar currently fetches SDG300.

Meanwhile, the head of the Sudanese Congress Party, Omar al-Dukair, called on the transitional government to face the economic crises that caused scarcity and price increase, stressing that protesting is a legitimate right for the people.

He criticized “ignoring the growing protests” and deterioration of economic and security situations, urging the government to address citizens’ demands in a transparent manner.

Dukair said in a press release that people have become used to seeing new announcements about price increase every morning on social media.

The government does not announce its decisions through official channels but rather leaks them to the media, leaving citizens without any explanation for the increase, according to Dukair.

However, he noted that the transitional government inherited a comprehensive national crisis, and economic deterioration is one of its results.

He called on the government to amplify its consultations on the harsh economic reform policies.

Notably, the majority of citizens are discontent with the government's performance and demand a government of “revolutionaries” to address the national crisis, reform the economy, and establish security.

Protesters, who say the current government is a "failure", insist on a civilian rule, stressing that the former regime and Islamists must not return to power.



Lebanese Begin Grim Task of Recovering Bodies from Rubble

 Rescuers use an excavator as they search for dead bodies through the rubble of a destroyed house, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Ainata village, south Lebanon. (AP)
Rescuers use an excavator as they search for dead bodies through the rubble of a destroyed house, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Ainata village, south Lebanon. (AP)
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Lebanese Begin Grim Task of Recovering Bodies from Rubble

 Rescuers use an excavator as they search for dead bodies through the rubble of a destroyed house, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Ainata village, south Lebanon. (AP)
Rescuers use an excavator as they search for dead bodies through the rubble of a destroyed house, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Ainata village, south Lebanon. (AP)

In the southern Lebanon border villages of Bint Jbeil and Ainata, where fierce fighting between Israel and Hezbollah fighters took place, rescuers used excavators began searching on Wednesday for bodies under the rubble.

A woman in Ainata wrapped in black cried as she held a portrait her grandson, a Hezbollah fighter, who was killed in the fighting, as she waits for rescuers to recover his body from a destroyed home.

The smell of death filled the air and several dead bodies could be seen inside houses and between trees. In the town of Kfar Hammam, rescuers recovered four bodies, according to Lebanese state media.

Meanwhile, families and politicians visited the graves of Hezbollah fighters buried in eastern Lebanon's Baalbek region.

Families with tears in their eyes paid respects to the dead and celebratory gunshots could be heard in the background Wednesday, the first day of a ceasefire between the group and Israel.

“The resistance (Hezbollah) will stay to defend Lebanon,” Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Mokdad told reporters while visiting the graves. “We tell the enemy that the martyrs thwarted their plans for the Middle East.”

Several other Hezbollah members of parliament were present.