Sudanese opposition groups call for 'march of millions' against coup

Sudanese opposition groups on Monday called for millions to take to the streets to protest the political settlement of the 25 October military coup.

Several opposition groups called on supporters to take part in the eighth "march of millions", named after the mass turnout for the first demonstrations against the military takeover on 25  October.  

"Today's 'march of millions' is one of the activities of the continued resistance to the brutal coup. Its goal is to achieve our demand to overthrow the coup and the civil state and achieve the goals of the glorious revolution," said the Forces of Freedom and Change Forces, one of the leading political factions of the revolution, in a statement. 

On Sunday night demonstrations took place in several neighbourhoods of Khartoum to urge citizens to take part in Monday's protest.

Sudan's top general, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, dissolved the country's transitional government on 25 October and detained its civilian leaders before declaring a state of emergency.

The transitional government - made up of civilians and generals - was established in April 2019 to lead Sudan after the ousting of autocrat Omar Al-Bashir.

Under mounting international pressure, General Burhan eventually released the detained civilian leaders, including the head of the transitional government Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok.

Hamdok and Burhan signed an agreement restoring Hamdok as PM on 21 November, but the agreement was rejected by Sudan's opposition and by resistance committees that are organised protests. 

Opponents say the post-coup agreement favours the military by leaving the army chief in charge of a body, the Sovereign Council, that was meant to pass to civilian control.

At least 44 people have been killed in protests since the coup and hundreds more injured, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors. 

The latest protest against the deal took place on 30 November and drew tens of thousands of people to central Khartoum under the slogan "No partnership, no negotiation, no compromise".

Hamdok has failed to form a new government amid rising popular pushback against the deal.