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July 18, 2022Vatican News staff writer
In Sudan’s capital of Khartoum, protesters marched on Sunday against the African nation's military leadership, holding it responsible for an outbreak of violence in Blue Nile State.
According to the Associated Press, security forces fired tear gas at those protesting, some of whom marched toward the presidential palace carrying signs calling for stopping civil war and saying Blue Nile “is bleeding.”
The latest violence
According to the United Nations and Sudanese officials, more than 30 people were killed and 100 injured in tribal clashes that started last week.
Fighting between the Hausa and Fung tribes in the southeastern state occurred close to the Ethiopian border.
On Sunday, authorities said they would reinforce the security presence in the state and investigate the clashes. In two towns, a curfew has been declared.
The military coup
Despite a nationwide peace deal signed by some rebel groups in Juba in 2020, there have been sporadic outbreaks of violence in several parts of the country, including eastern coastal regions and western Darfur.
The anti-military movement has held various protests since the October 2021 coup.
The protestors accuse the military of further promoting internal conflict and failing to protect civilians.
One protestor said the continuation of the coup “means more death.”
Military leaders, AP notes, have said their takeover was necessary to preserve Sudan's stability amid political infighting, and that they are working to build on the peace deal in Darfur and other regions.