Khartoum: Complete Closure of City Center in Anniversary of October Revolution as Precautionary Measure

Khartoum(SUNA) – The security authorities have implemented a complete closure of central Khartoum, concrete barriers were placed, and army and police vehicles were placed on all roads leading to central Khartoum, from which entry or exit is prohibited, and the state of Khartoum issued a press statement referring to the precautionary measures that is has taken.

Eyewitnesses said that it is the first time in such similar cases that Tuti Bridge is completely closed to the movement of cars and pedestrians.

This situation was repeated even for a large number of journalists working for the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) who were prevented to cross to the center of Khartoum, after which the agency’s employees are allowed to pass after showing a valid work card.

 The State of Khartoum, which hosting all the sovereign ministries, the headquarters of the regular and security forces, and the diplomatic, international and UN missions, issued a statement on the anniversary of the October 21 Revolution announcing the closure of the bridges as a precautionary measure from 12 midnight until the evening of Wednesday 21 October.

 The first popular revolution against a totalitarian regime in Sudan, after the independence of Sudan in 1956, broke out on October 21, 1964 and became a symbol and reference for the following popular revolutions in Sudan. Its symbolism emanated from the insistence of all political parties and trade unions to overthrow the dictatorial regime.

 A group of political parties and the Forces of Freedom and Change, which is the political incubator of the transitional government and its lifeline, have called for marches aimed at alerting, reforming and supporting the revolution so that it shall not deviate from the pat, especially that problems have flooded to it from all sides as it is seeking to solve them one by one, in addition to groups affiliated to the former regime that have called for overthrow of the government.

 However, Khartoum State warned that it has documented information that there are circles that are seeking to penetrate these marches to cause chaos or at least embarrass the transitional government which is still explaining to its citizens the consequences of exiting from the list of states sponsoring terrorism, a matter which was achieved after serious effort.

 The Khartoum State’s statement said that the anniversary of October 21 Revolution this year “comes, and when the revolution is proceeding to achieve its goals steadily and with resolution; lately, the long-awaited peace was achieved, and Wednesday Sudan is relieved of the accusation of terrorism..

 The statement warned against the movements of the supporters of the former regime that were monitored, and their desperate calls for demonstration in this day with the attempt to divert the revolutionaries’ processions from their revolutionary paths and to cause chaos. The statement affirmed that based on this information, the state will work in determination and decisiveness to secure the revolutionary processions paths .as the peaceful processions are the ones which have created the revolution and change and removed the brutal 30-year regime. And which are able to pressure the transitional authority structures to complete the goals of the revolution and to overcome the obstacles and challenges facing the transitional government.

 The statement was concluded by the stressing that “based on the information we have, we apologize to the citizens of Khartoum State for the harm that will affect them as a result of the closure of the city bridges, as a precautionary measure, from 12:00 p.m. until the evening of Wednesday 21 October.”

It is to be recalled that some areas in Khartoum State have witnessed sporadic demonstrations and the closure of some roads for short periods, but no serious incidents and clashes were recorded until the moment of preparing this report.