In anticipation of the protests, on Sunday, the Sudanese authorities tightened their security measures and closed some of the main bridges linking the cities of the capital, Khartoum, and announced a ban on gathering in the area around the palace.
The United Nations Mission in Sudan criticized these measures and called on the authorities to stop repressing the protesters, reminding them of the need to respect the rights of expression and peaceful assembly guaranteed in international laws and covenants.
While jurists considered the decision to ban gathering in the center of the capital illegal, the resistance committees leading the current movement refused to respond to the decision and announced that they would continue to implement their paths towards the palace.
Sunday’s protests coincide with the increasing state of paralysis in the capital, Khartoum, and the closure of most schools, universities, and government and private institutions.
According to eyewitnesses, the area around the presidential palace has turned into a semi-military barracks in light of the heavy presence of security forces and armored cars loaded with heavy weapons.
On October 25, the army commander, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, declared a state of emergency and the dissolution of the Sovereignty Council and the Council of Ministers, which led to a state of security turmoil and great paralysis in public life, without any indications of a political solution on the horizon so far.
On Wednesday, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Molly said that the leaders of the Sudanese Sovereign Council did not fulfill their pledge to stop violence against protesters during her meetings with them about a week ago, threatening the consequences for that.
The United Nations, which on Tuesday condemned the use of live ammunition and lethal force against protesters, presented an initiative for national dialogue, but its initiative did not find complete consensus and was rejected by actors such as the Association of Professionals that led the revolution that toppled the regime of ousted Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.