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| Sudan’s Military Abandons Talks and Opens Fire on Democracy Protesters | Sudan’s Military Abandons Talks and Opens Fire on Democracy Protesters |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Sudan’s security forces stormed a major protest camp in the nation’s capital of Khartoum on Monday, killing an estimated 31 people and wounding hundreds, protest organizers said, in a day of violence that plunged the country’s once-hopeful revolution into chaos and uncertainty. | Sudan’s security forces stormed a major protest camp in the nation’s capital of Khartoum on Monday, killing an estimated 31 people and wounding hundreds, protest organizers said, in a day of violence that plunged the country’s once-hopeful revolution into chaos and uncertainty. |
| The dawn raids, led by a paramilitary unit notorious for atrocities in the western region of Darfur, appeared to signal that the military was intent on breaking the pro-democracy movement that galvanized Sudan following the ouster in April of the longtime dictator and president Omar Hassan al-Bashir. | The dawn raids, led by a paramilitary unit notorious for atrocities in the western region of Darfur, appeared to signal that the military was intent on breaking the pro-democracy movement that galvanized Sudan following the ouster in April of the longtime dictator and president Omar Hassan al-Bashir. |
| Weeks of power-sharing talks between the civilian opposition and the generals who seized power from Mr. al-Bashir recently collapsed, after the military rejected a plan to cede power during a transitional period. | Weeks of power-sharing talks between the civilian opposition and the generals who seized power from Mr. al-Bashir recently collapsed, after the military rejected a plan to cede power during a transitional period. |
| The brutal crackdown confirmed protesters’ fears that the military, backed by the wealthy rulers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, was never serious about its claims to support civilian rule. Demonstrators were alarmed that their grass-roots drive for democracy, which only weeks ago cast a beacon of hope in the Middle East, could ultimately be quashed by the same authoritarian tactics that foiled the Arab Spring. | The brutal crackdown confirmed protesters’ fears that the military, backed by the wealthy rulers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, was never serious about its claims to support civilian rule. Demonstrators were alarmed that their grass-roots drive for democracy, which only weeks ago cast a beacon of hope in the Middle East, could ultimately be quashed by the same authoritarian tactics that foiled the Arab Spring. |
| “All hell broke loose,” said Mohamed Azharri, 25, a doctor and protester who sprinted for cover when the first gunfire erupted, then watched helplessly as soldiers beat an old man in the street. | |
| He spent the day in hiding, listening in horror to news of mounting casualties. By evening he had vowed to return to the streets. | |
| “We can’t let people die for nothing,” he said in a phone interview. “That’s why we are going back out tomorrow. This revolution is not over.” | |
| Protest organizers declared a general strike across Sudan on Monday. On the streets, protesters mounted barricades across the city in an effort to resist the military operation. | Protest organizers declared a general strike across Sudan on Monday. On the streets, protesters mounted barricades across the city in an effort to resist the military operation. |
| The soldiers moved in on Monday at first light, opening fire at the main protest area outside Sudan’s military headquarters in central Khartoum, taking advantage of a rainstorm hours earlier that thinned out the number of protesters. | The soldiers moved in on Monday at first light, opening fire at the main protest area outside Sudan’s military headquarters in central Khartoum, taking advantage of a rainstorm hours earlier that thinned out the number of protesters. |
| Videos posted to social media showed uniformed men burning tents and thrashing civilians with sticks. Bleeding protesters lay lifeless on the ground. Long bursts of gunfire rang out across the city. | Videos posted to social media showed uniformed men burning tents and thrashing civilians with sticks. Bleeding protesters lay lifeless on the ground. Long bursts of gunfire rang out across the city. |
| Plumes of smoke rose over Khartoum as angered demonstrators blocked streets in parts of the city, burning tires at barricades. | Plumes of smoke rose over Khartoum as angered demonstrators blocked streets in parts of the city, burning tires at barricades. |
| Khartoum was on lockdown for the rest of the day, with cellphone networks restricted and the internet sporadically cut off. Protesters reported that the security forces were raiding homes in search of protest leaders and had dumped the bodies of slain protesters in the Nile. | Khartoum was on lockdown for the rest of the day, with cellphone networks restricted and the internet sporadically cut off. Protesters reported that the security forces were raiding homes in search of protest leaders and had dumped the bodies of slain protesters in the Nile. |
| The Forces for Declaration of Freedom and Change, which represents the protesters in negotiations, put the toll at 31 dead and several hundred injured. A spokeswoman for a doctor’s association, the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, cautioned earlier that the toll was incomplete because the military was preventing ambulances from reaching medical stations in the main protest area. | The Forces for Declaration of Freedom and Change, which represents the protesters in negotiations, put the toll at 31 dead and several hundred injured. A spokeswoman for a doctor’s association, the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, cautioned earlier that the toll was incomplete because the military was preventing ambulances from reaching medical stations in the main protest area. |
| Speaking by phone from Khartoum, a doctor at the Royal Care International Hospital, who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals, said soldiers positioned outside were stopping medical staff from entering the hospital, where many of the wounded were taken. | Speaking by phone from Khartoum, a doctor at the Royal Care International Hospital, who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals, said soldiers positioned outside were stopping medical staff from entering the hospital, where many of the wounded were taken. |
| The violence drew stinging condemnation from the United Nations, the African Union and Western governments, but a more qualified response from the Arab nations that have sided with Sudan’s military leaders. | The violence drew stinging condemnation from the United Nations, the African Union and Western governments, but a more qualified response from the Arab nations that have sided with Sudan’s military leaders. |
| The United States Embassy in Khartoum blamed the country’s military leaders for the violence and called for an immediate halt. “Sudanese security forces’ attacks against protesters and other civilians is wrong and must stop,” the embassy wrote on Twitter. | The United States Embassy in Khartoum blamed the country’s military leaders for the violence and called for an immediate halt. “Sudanese security forces’ attacks against protesters and other civilians is wrong and must stop,” the embassy wrote on Twitter. |
| Britain’s ambassador to Sudan, Irfan Siddiq, who said gunfire erupted near his residence in central Khartoum, joined the American call for a cessation. “No excuse for any such attack. This. Must. Stop. Now,” Mr. Siddiq wrote on Twitter. | Britain’s ambassador to Sudan, Irfan Siddiq, who said gunfire erupted near his residence in central Khartoum, joined the American call for a cessation. “No excuse for any such attack. This. Must. Stop. Now,” Mr. Siddiq wrote on Twitter. |
| The Western calls for nonviolence were likely outweighed, however, by the tacit support that wealthy Gulf countries and other Arab allies have given to Sudan’s generals since the protests toppled Mr. al-Bashir. | The Western calls for nonviolence were likely outweighed, however, by the tacit support that wealthy Gulf countries and other Arab allies have given to Sudan’s generals since the protests toppled Mr. al-Bashir. |
| The rulers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt view the popular revolution in Sudan as a dangerous example to their own countries, where the Arab Spring revolt of 2011 was either quashed or never allowed to take root. | The rulers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt view the popular revolution in Sudan as a dangerous example to their own countries, where the Arab Spring revolt of 2011 was either quashed or never allowed to take root. |
| After Mr. al-Bashir was ousted on April 11, the Saudis and Emiratis offered $3 billion in aid to shore up the military’s popularity and to strengthen the generals’ hand in power-sharing negotiations with civilian leaders. | After Mr. al-Bashir was ousted on April 11, the Saudis and Emiratis offered $3 billion in aid to shore up the military’s popularity and to strengthen the generals’ hand in power-sharing negotiations with civilian leaders. |
| In recent weeks, Sudan’s top generals traveled to the Gulf for talks with their allies, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia and Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates. | |
| As the violence unfolded on Monday, though, it was unclear which parts of Sudan’s fractious military and security establishment was driving the crackdown. The United States Embassy blamed the ruling Transitional Military Council led by Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. | As the violence unfolded on Monday, though, it was unclear which parts of Sudan’s fractious military and security establishment was driving the crackdown. The United States Embassy blamed the ruling Transitional Military Council led by Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. |
| “Responsibility falls on the T.M.C. The T.M.C. cannot responsibly lead the people of Sudan,” the embassy added in its post on Twitter. | “Responsibility falls on the T.M.C. The T.M.C. cannot responsibly lead the people of Sudan,” the embassy added in its post on Twitter. |
| But videos and eyewitness accounts pointed to the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary unit drawn from the janjaweed militias that carried out atrocities in Darfur in the 2000s, and which has now emerged as a powerful force in the capital. As the power-sharing talks have dragged on in recent weeks, Rapid Support Force soldiers have gradually fanned out across Khartoum. | But videos and eyewitness accounts pointed to the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary unit drawn from the janjaweed militias that carried out atrocities in Darfur in the 2000s, and which has now emerged as a powerful force in the capital. As the power-sharing talks have dragged on in recent weeks, Rapid Support Force soldiers have gradually fanned out across Khartoum. |
| The group’s leader, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan, widely known as Hemeti and seen as one of the most powerful figures in Sudan, consolidated his power by meeting with Prince Mohammed of Saudi Arabia. | The group’s leader, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan, widely known as Hemeti and seen as one of the most powerful figures in Sudan, consolidated his power by meeting with Prince Mohammed of Saudi Arabia. |
| For the protesters, the brutal operation to clear them from the protest zone was the moment they had been dreading for weeks. | For the protesters, the brutal operation to clear them from the protest zone was the moment they had been dreading for weeks. |
| Mr. al-Bashir’s ouster, after four months of street protests, brought tens of thousands of young Sudanese to the gates of the military headquarters in joyous scenes that celebrated the demise of a hated dictator and, they hoped, heralded a return to full civilian rule. | Mr. al-Bashir’s ouster, after four months of street protests, brought tens of thousands of young Sudanese to the gates of the military headquarters in joyous scenes that celebrated the demise of a hated dictator and, they hoped, heralded a return to full civilian rule. |
| In the weeks since, thousands of young Sudanese have gathered nightly at the protest site for concerts, to hear speeches or just to mingle freely, savoring new social freedoms that were impossible under Mr. al-Bashir. | In the weeks since, thousands of young Sudanese have gathered nightly at the protest site for concerts, to hear speeches or just to mingle freely, savoring new social freedoms that were impossible under Mr. al-Bashir. |
| Despite punishing summer temperatures, the sit-in continued into the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which ends this week. The protesters enjoyed the backing of the United Nations and the African Union, which on May 1 warned it would suspend Sudan from the bloc if the military did not transfer power to a civilian authority. | Despite punishing summer temperatures, the sit-in continued into the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which ends this week. The protesters enjoyed the backing of the United Nations and the African Union, which on May 1 warned it would suspend Sudan from the bloc if the military did not transfer power to a civilian authority. |
| But political talks to end the crisis were scuttled by the military’s obduracy. Opposition and military leaders have spent weeks arguing over who should head a sovereign council to rule Sudan during a transitional period leading up to elections that both sides agree should last about three years. | But political talks to end the crisis were scuttled by the military’s obduracy. Opposition and military leaders have spent weeks arguing over who should head a sovereign council to rule Sudan during a transitional period leading up to elections that both sides agree should last about three years. |
| General al-Burhan and the military have said publicly that they agreed to strong civilian participation in a transitional government, but insist that they should retain overall power. In an effort to break the deadlock, civilian negotiators offered compromises that included rotating power between civilian and military leaders, according to Western officials. | General al-Burhan and the military have said publicly that they agreed to strong civilian participation in a transitional government, but insist that they should retain overall power. In an effort to break the deadlock, civilian negotiators offered compromises that included rotating power between civilian and military leaders, according to Western officials. |
| But the talks collapsed and the civilians showed their muscle by calling a two-day strike that was respected across the country. Monday’s raid appeared to be an effort to break that strength. | But the talks collapsed and the civilians showed their muscle by calling a two-day strike that was respected across the country. Monday’s raid appeared to be an effort to break that strength. |
| Analysts have long warned that Sudan’s transition to democracy, if it goes awry, could plunge the country into much greater chaos. | Analysts have long warned that Sudan’s transition to democracy, if it goes awry, could plunge the country into much greater chaos. |
| One of Africa’s largest countries, it is awash in arms after years of battle between the government and rebel groups in the Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions. The United States, which once led Western policy on Sudan, has largely ceded that role in recent years. Gulf countries are filling the vacuum, looking to safeguard the own interests. | |
| For the Saudis and Emiratis, Sudan is a major troop contributor to the war they are fighting in Yemen. Last month Anwar Gargash, the de facto foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, called for an “orderly transition” in the country. “We have experienced all-out chaos in the region and, sensibly, don’t need more of it,” he said. | For the Saudis and Emiratis, Sudan is a major troop contributor to the war they are fighting in Yemen. Last month Anwar Gargash, the de facto foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, called for an “orderly transition” in the country. “We have experienced all-out chaos in the region and, sensibly, don’t need more of it,” he said. |
| Such statements stoked fear among Sudanese protesters that the military might try to forcibly disperse them, much as Egypt’s military did in 2013 when it killed more than 800 people in Cairo to end street protests led by the Muslim Brotherhood. | Such statements stoked fear among Sudanese protesters that the military might try to forcibly disperse them, much as Egypt’s military did in 2013 when it killed more than 800 people in Cairo to end street protests led by the Muslim Brotherhood. |