Members of the Sudanese security service “opened fire on peaceful protesters” in El Obeid, North Kordofan, killing one person and injuring at least ten others on Thursday, witnesses said. On the same day, “air raids killed two children” elsewhere in the state.

Sources told Radio Dabanga civilians staged demonstrations against the presence of a military garrison inside the El Obeid neighbourhood of Al Wahdah. They claim security forces stationed in that base often carry out abuses against the local residents.“We fear for our safety. Especially women are targeted,” they said.

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that a group of youngsters from the neighbourhood attempted on Thursday to lodge a complaint at the garrison. However, elements of the security services arrested the youngsters and refused to release them.

This prompted fellow residents of the Al Wahdah neighbourhood to stage “peaceful protests”. They shouted and asked “Why are you doing this to us?”. Citizens are reported to have torched the district’s market.

In response to the events, members of the security services are said to have opened fire on the demonstrators killing one and injuring at least ten.

The demonstrations ceased on Friday at 10am. State authorities and the police intervened and assured the protesters they would implement their demands and expel the security services from the area “as soon as possible”.

Air raids

Air raids “by the Sudanese Air Force” left two children dead in Rebesh village, North Kordofan. A source said the victims were with their mother inside a barn at their farm when an Antonov dropped a bomb on the area.

“The children were completely charred and their mother, who is in a very serious condition, was taken to Rebesh hospital,” the source said.

The witness also told Radio Dabanga he saw a large SRF rebel convoy arriving recently in the Rebesh area. The SRF is an alliance of rebel forces recruiting primarily in Darfur and Kordofan whose objective is topple the Sudanese regime “by all means”.

File photo: Hundreds of people attended the public rally, El Fasher, North Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid)

Article source: http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/49914