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Two TV Journalists Freed in Sudan after Mass Street Protests

Sudanese demonstrators in the streets of the capital Khartoum in protest at the army's October 25 coup. (AFP)
Sudanese demonstrators in the streets of the capital Khartoum in protest at the army's October 25 coup. (AFP)
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Two TV Journalists Freed in Sudan after Mass Street Protests

Sudanese demonstrators in the streets of the capital Khartoum in protest at the army's October 25 coup. (AFP)
Sudanese demonstrators in the streets of the capital Khartoum in protest at the army's October 25 coup. (AFP)

Sudanese security forces have released two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, a day after detaining them as deadly violence flared during renewed protests against the military government, the station said Friday.

During Thursday's protests in and near Khartoum, "five uniformed security officers" held journalists Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman and their teams in their office for several hours, the channel said.

Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy.

Protesters charge that the deal simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests.

In the worst street clashes since Hamdok's return, five demonstrators were killed and dozens wounded by bullets on Thursday, said the independent Doctors' Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement.

Authorities also cut phone lines and the internet and cracked down on media, also including the satellite channel Al-Arabiya.

Othman was interrupted by security forces in the middle of a live broadcast and can be heard saying in a clip shared widely on social networks: "I will not be able to continue, the authorities are now forbidding me to continue with you".

Sudanese police blamed the incident on "reprehensible individual actions" which would be investigated.

The Doctors' Committee charged that "crimes against humanity" were committed in Omdurman, twin city of the capital Khartoum, on Thursday.

It said five demonstrators were killed by bullets to the head or chest, and that ambulances were blocked and at least one seriously injured person was forcibly removed from an ambulance by the security forces.

A police spokesman said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers".

He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest "leaders clearly hostile to the security forces" of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces".

Street clashes since the October coup have claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded, and supporters of civilian rule in Sudan have continued to call for protests.

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Lavrov: Moscow Maintains Communication with Damascus, Will Not Withdraw from the Region

Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
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Lavrov: Moscow Maintains Communication with Damascus, Will Not Withdraw from the Region

Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to the Middle East, stating that Moscow “has not and will not withdraw from the region.” He emphasized ongoing communication with Syria’s new leadership and expressed readiness to support the political process in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Lavrov attributed Syria’s deteriorating situation to the previous regime, blaming its unwillingness to implement reforms and share power with the opposition.

“The refusal of the former Syrian regime to make any changes or share power with the opposition was one of the primary reasons for its collapse,” he said.

Lavrov noted that over the past decade, since President Bashar al-Assad requested Russian intervention in the Syrian war and the launch of the Astana peace process, Damascus had delayed advancing the political path.

“Despite support from Arab nations, Syrian authorities showed reluctance to move forward politically and sought to maintain the status quo,” he explained.

He highlighted Russia’s repeated calls for the Syrian government to engage with the Constitutional Committee, established during the 2018 Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, and to actively work on drafting a new constitution.

Lavrov also pointed to economic challenges exacerbated by sanctions, which have stifled Syria’s economy, and US control over oil-rich eastern regions. Resources were exploited to fuel separatist ambitions in northeastern Syria, he remarked.

Moreover, the FM revealed details of Moscow’s earlier discussions with Kurdish groups, reiterating his country’s position that Kurdish rights should be guaranteed within the constitutional frameworks of Syria, Iraq, Iran and Türkiye.

He argued that the previous Syrian regime’s reluctance to engage in political dialogue resulted in stalled reforms proposed by the United Nations, Moscow and Cairo platforms, and Istanbul-based opposition groups. This inaction, he said, created a vacuum that ultimately led to the collapse.

Furthermore, he dismissed claims that his country’s withdrawal from Syria would signal its departure from the Middle East.

“Russia has not and will not leave the region,” he declared. Without directly addressing the status of Russian military bases in Syria, Lavrov emphasized: “Our embassy never left Damascus, and we maintain ongoing communication with the authorities.”

He also stressed Russia’s willingness to facilitate inclusive dialogue involving all national, political and sectarian factions, as well as relevant international stakeholders. Lavrov underscored that recent discussions with Türkiye, Gulf nations, and other parties demonstrated widespread agreement that Russia and Iran must be involved in the Syrian peace process if sustainable results are to be achieved.

For his part, Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Envoy to the Middle East and Africa, reaffirmed Russia’s focus on developments in Syria, describing relations with Damascus as a “priority of Russian foreign policy.”

Reports on Tuesday suggested that Bogdanov might soon lead a Russian delegation to Damascus. However, a Russian diplomatic source informed Asharq Al-Awsat that no date for the visit has been confirmed. The visit, which was reportedly postponed, would mark the first by a senior Russian official to Damascus since the fall of Assad’s regime in December.

Meanwhile, media reports indicated that Moscow is facing logistical challenges in withdrawing military equipment from Syria, due to restrictions imposed by Syrian authorities on the movement of Russian ships in territorial waters.

According to the English-language edition of RT, the Russian ship Sparta 2, designated to transport military equipment and weapons, was denied entry to the Port of Tartus, where Russia maintains its only overseas naval base.