EU Urges Sudan to Investigate Violence Targeting Protesters

Sudanese demonstrators carry a wounded man during a protest demanding civilian rule in the "Street 40" of the Sudanese capital's twin city of Omdurman on January 4, 2022. (Photo by AFP)
Sudanese demonstrators carry a wounded man during a protest demanding civilian rule in the "Street 40" of the Sudanese capital's twin city of Omdurman on January 4, 2022. (Photo by AFP)
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EU Urges Sudan to Investigate Violence Targeting Protesters

Sudanese demonstrators carry a wounded man during a protest demanding civilian rule in the "Street 40" of the Sudanese capital's twin city of Omdurman on January 4, 2022. (Photo by AFP)
Sudanese demonstrators carry a wounded man during a protest demanding civilian rule in the "Street 40" of the Sudanese capital's twin city of Omdurman on January 4, 2022. (Photo by AFP)

The European Union has urged Sudanese leaders to investigate the violence targeting protestors in the country, following the October 25 military takeover.

“The EU reiterates the need for independent investigations into all deaths and associated violence, and calls for the perpetrators to be held accountable,” it tweeted on Friday.

“Attacks on hospitals, detentions of activists and journalists and communication blackouts, must also stop,” it added.

Sudanese security forces shot dead three protesters on Thursday during the latest mass demonstrations demanding a transition to civilian rule after a coup, medics said.

The latest killings bring to 60 the death toll in a security clampdown since the October 25 military takeover, said the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, which is part of the pro-democracy movement.

Khartoum State’s health ministry said security forces raided Arbaeen Hospital in Omdurman, attacking medical staff and injuring protesters, and said the forces besieged Khartoum Teaching Hospital and fired tear gas inside it.

In a statement, Sudanese police said the demonstrations “witnessed a deviation from peacefulness and cases of aggression and violence by some demonstrators towards the forces present,” citing a number of injuries among police and armed forces.

The statement also said that three people had been arrested for the killing of two citizens in Omdurman and that 60 suspects were arrested overall.

The Forces of Freedom and Change coalition, which had been sharing power with the military before the coup, called on the United Nations Security Council to carry out an investigation on what it described as intentional killings and raids of hospitals.

In Khartoum, protesters tried to reach the presidential palace but security forces advanced toward them, firing frequent volleys of tear gas.

Some protesters wore gas masks, while many wore medical masks and other face coverings and several brought hard hats and gloves in order to throw back tear gas canisters.



Arab Foreign Ministers to Discuss Political Solutions to Iran-Israel Conflict in Istanbul

Arab foreign ministers during their last meeting in Baghdad. (Arab League)
Arab foreign ministers during their last meeting in Baghdad. (Arab League)
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Arab Foreign Ministers to Discuss Political Solutions to Iran-Israel Conflict in Istanbul

Arab foreign ministers during their last meeting in Baghdad. (Arab League)
Arab foreign ministers during their last meeting in Baghdad. (Arab League)

Arab foreign ministers are set to convene on the sidelines of the upcoming Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul early next week to discuss the repercussions of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict and explore diplomatic avenues to reduce regional tensions, Egyptian and Arab diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The call for the meeting was spearheaded by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, who urged an emergency session of Arab foreign ministers in Istanbul to coordinate a unified Arab stance amid rapidly evolving developments and regional challenges.

Iraq currently holds the rotating presidency of the Arab League, having assumed the role from Bahrain at the regular summit held on May 17.

The Iraqi foreign ministry confirmed that the minister’s proposal followed a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Wednesday.

Egypt’s foreign ministry had earlier announced that Abdelatty engaged in consultations with ministers from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain to address the escalating military tensions and the broader implications for regional and international peace and security.

An Arab diplomatic source said the upcoming meeting aims to discuss the impact of the Israeli-Iranian conflict and is part of intensified efforts to coordinate regional positions and ease the crisis.

The 51st Council of Foreign Ministers meeting of OIC member states, hosted in Istanbul on June 22-23, will gather nearly 1,000 participants from the organization’s 57 member states, along with affiliated institutions, observer states, and international organizations, reported Türkiye's Anadolu Agency.

However, the source ruled out any immediate plans for an emergency Arab League summit to address the conflict.

Another Egyptian diplomatic official told Asharq Al-Awsat that the OIC foreign ministers’ meeting would feature several bilateral and multilateral sessions focused on regional coordination, adding that the Istanbul meetings aim to revive diplomatic negotiations.

Egypt and several Arab countries have intensified diplomatic outreach to regional and international actors to push for a military de-escalation, a ceasefire, and prevent the conflict from spreading across the Middle East, the source said.

Cairo University’s Professor of International Relations Ikram Badreddine highlighted the importance of a coordinated Arab and Islamic position, describing it as a significant regional and international bloc.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that “aligned stances among these countries could influence the current escalation and promote conflict containment.”

He also warned of the risks posed by failure to contain the Israel-Iran conflict, including the potential involvement of major powers such as the United States, Russia, and Pakistan, which could further destabilize the region.