Sudan security forces kill 100th person in anti-coup protests

(Reuters) – A protester was shot and killed in the Sudanese city of Omdurman on Monday by security forces, medics say, making them the 100th protester killed in anti-coup demonstrations since October.

The protester, the second death after the lifting of a state of emergency on May 29, was most likely killed by buckshot, said the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors.

Demonstrations have continued since a military coup in October, organized by neighborhood resistance committees. Most of those killed in the protests have been young men. Military leaders have promised investigations into the deaths.

Protests flared in Omdurman on Monday in response to a visit by military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

The country has been without a prime minister since January and a U.N. and African Union process to come to a political agreement announced direct talks between political groups this week.

However, the former ruling civilian coalition, the Forces of Freedom and Change, said in a statement they would not participate in the talks as they included parties they said were supportive of the coup. Resistance committees reject any negotiation with the military.

Burhan’s lifting of the state of emergency imposed since the coup was described as a trust building measure. However, one protester was shot and killed on Friday, less than a week later.

(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Ahmad Elhamy and Nafisa Eltahir; Editing by Leslie Adler and Grant McCool)

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