Security forces shot dead four protesters on Thursday as tens of thousands of people rallied in Sudan's capital Khartoum and elsewhere against military rule, a doctors' union said.
The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said three of the protesters killed were in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman. The fourth was killed in the capital's East Nile district.
With the latest fatalities, the number of people killed during protests since the military seized power on October 25 and upended Sudan's democratic transition rose to at least 61.
Authorities said 50 policemen and four army soldiers were injured in Thursday's protests. A total of 60 protesters were arrested, they added.
The doctors' committee is aligned with the pro-democracy movement but has established a reputation for accuracy and neutrality since it began to count and verify victims of political violence in 2018.
On Wednesday US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed on Twitter for Sudanese security forces to “cease using lethal force against demonstrators and commit to an independent investigation".
Mr Blinken's appeal echoes similar ones repeatedly made by western leaders over the past two months, but they have gone unheeded.
Tear gas was also used against protesters in Khartoum and the twin cities of Omdurman and Bahri. There were similar protests in the cities of Port Sudan on the Red Sea, and Atbara and Wad Medani, north and south of the capital.
Videos online also showed armoured army vehicles chasing protesters in the capital, apparently trying to run them over on streets strewn with debris. Protesters pelted the vehicles with rocks as they sped away.
One gruesome video purportedly showed a man lying on the ground, his body soaked in blood and his head smashed open by what seemed to be a live round.
Panicking and grief-stricken protesters carried the body away.
Army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan seized power on October 25, derailing Sudan's democratic transition nearly three years after dictator Omar Al Bashir was removed by the military after a popular uprising against his 29-year rule.
The coup drew strong international condemnation and led to the suspension of vital aid worth hundreds of millions of dollars by major donors including the US and World Bank. The African Union suspended Sudan’s membership.
At home, the coup sparked a series of major protest rallies that were met with a violent response by security forces routinely using live rounds, rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas.
“Our marches will continue until we restore our revolution and our civilian government,” said protester Mojataba Hussein, 23, in Khartoum.
Another demonstrator, Samar Al Tayeb, 22, vowed not to stop protesting “until we get our country back".
In the hours before Thursday’s protests, authorities sealed off Nile bridges linking the greater Khartoum area and cut off internet and telephone services, an action they have taken at every protest to deny organisers the means to mobilise and co-ordinate.
Authorities also closed roads leading to the Nile-side Republican Palace and the army headquarters, both in central Khartoum.
Thousands of troops, police and fighters from a government-sanctioned militia have fanned out across the capital and its twin cities, manning checkpoints and concrete barriers blocking roads.
But the tight security measures did not stop the protesters from taking to the streets.
They beat drums, chanted slogans demanding the military quit politics and lifted posters bearing images of killed protesters. Many struggled to breathe because of the heavy tear gas, witnesses said.
The protesters set tyres ablaze and lobbed tear gas canisters back at the security troops.
Images shared online showed men, women and children of all ages taking part in Thursday's rallies as clouds of black smoke formed above.
Thursday’s protests come at a time when pressure is mounting on Gen Al Burhan and his associates to step down or come up with a plan that is acceptable to the pro-democracy movement to end the political crisis.
The latter option, however, has become increasingly unlikely, as Gen Al Burhan appears convinced that he and the other generals can ride out the mass protests.
The pro-democracy movement also appears to be in no mood for compromise, insisting that the military step down and vowing to hold him accountable for the deaths of protesters.
In an attempt to appease the protesters, Gen Al Burhan on November 21 reinstated Abdalla Hamdok, the civilian prime minister he dismissed along with his government when he seized power in October.
But Mr Hamdok resigned on Sunday, claiming widening differences with the military. His resignation has deepened the crisis and led to increased pressure by western powers on Gen Al Burhan and his associates.
On Tuesday, the US, EU, Britain and Norway warned the military against naming a successor to Mr Hamdok, saying they would “not support a prime minister or government appointed without the involvement of a broad range of civilian stakeholders".
Additional reporting by AFP
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- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
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- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
