What's happening in Sudan? Here's all you need to know

Even after three months since the ousting of Sudan's ex-President Omar al-Bashir, the stand-off between the ruling Sudan military and civil forces has not come close to being resolved. 

The power struggle in Sudan persists after the brutal crackdown of military forces against thousands of pro-democracy Sudanese protesters. The beginning of this bloodbath was triggered by a series of events that date back to December 2018.  

Here is a brief timeline- 

The toppling of President Omar al-Bashir

Dictatorial president Omar al-Bashir, who held power in the country for 30 years deducted the fuel and bread subsidies to resist the impending collapse of the country's economy, back in December last year

In the process, the government refrained people from withdrawing money, while the prices of bread and fuel kept soaring. 

Subsequently, the booming agitation among the civilians led to a pro-democracy protest movement to topple the dictator. 

Protests were led by eminent personalities from the country including Sudanese Professionals Association including lawyers, health professionals, and doctors.  The wave of protests that sparked in Sudan's Atbara, eventually magnified to the rest of the country.

Protests attuned slogans that were widespread during the Arab Spring of 2011 as protesters assembled outside the military headquarters in the capital city, Khartoum. In retaliation to the revolution, protesters were attacked with bullets by the forces of the President, doctors were killed to prevent aid from reaching the wounded, shoving the country towards a political crisis. 

The President finally resigned on April 11, 2019, after clinching on to power ever since 1989. 

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Military take-over

The toppling of the tyrant was celebrated with people taking the streets and dancing for some had never seen their time in the country without Bashir's autocratic legacy. 

However, despite the disposal of the dictator, in instant aftermath, the Transitional Military Council (TMC) of generals headed by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan took over, claiming to retain the security and order in Sudan. 

The TMC till date refuses to give-in the demand of protesters asking for a civilian rule in the country. Moreover, the Lieutenant General has stated that the military would supervise the transitional phase, that would last for at least 2 years. 

Collapse of talks

Subsequent to the collapse of talks between the civil body and TMC, after weeks of a halt in negotiations, the Sudanese security forces unleashed violence and opened fire at Khartoum outside the military headquarters against the peaceful civil disobedience campaign on June 3 after their weeks-long sit-in outside the headquarters. 

A day after, on June 4, the coalition of representatives of the civil body, political parties and labour unions - Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) called for the disobedience campaign against the military establishment, urging them to hand over the power to the civic bodies 

Amid the passionate protests and corpses, the doctors claimed that the vicious crackdown by military forces led to the killing of over 100 people and bodies were thrown in river Nile, over 700 injured and raped as many as 70 men and women during the protest camp. 

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Moreover, the notorious forces barged into shops to steal goods. 

To clampdown mass protests, a nation-wide internet shutdown was imposed in the state to make communications beyond the boundaries of possibilities in order to stifle the voices against the power structures of the country. 

On June 14, the military council for the first time confessed to violent dispersal of civilians in the capital city.  

Diplomatic intervention

Amid growing fear of civil war the African Union of 54 member states, suspended Sudan

US diplomat to Africa called for an 'independent and credible' probe by Sudan into the military crackdown of June 3.

Amid the crisis, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and UAE have been particularly supporting Sudan through aids in billions of dollars. 

Meanwhile, Russia and China blocked the proposal to condemn the mass murder and issue an imperative call from global leaders to immediately call off the violence, Britain and Germany asked the TMC and protesters to continue working together towards a consensual solution to the current crisis, as per international media reports.

European countries including Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland,  Netherlands, and Sweden in a joint statement stated that they- 'condemn the violent attacks in Sudan by Sudanese security services against civilians' 

However, the question still looms, will Sudan win its dream of democracy or further fall in the state of anarchy?