Early June marked a grim milestone for Sudan when security forces killed the 100th person in anti-coup protests. Ever since the military coup in October, demonstrations organized by neighborhood resistance committees have been raging across the country and show no signs of slowing down. The 100th protester was shot in the Sudanese city of Omdurman during an uprising after a visit by military leader Abdul Fattah al-Burhan. Like this casualty, most of those killed have been young men. While military leaders have promised investigations into these deaths, it is doubtful that they will ever occur.

According to The Guardian, the government is turning a blind eye to the harsh actions of the security forces: the governor of Khartoum state, Ahmed Othman Hamza, praised their role in maintaining security and stability. However, this so-called peace comes at a harmful price: the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors said ”injuries in recent days have been caused by live ammunition, stun grenades, stones, and moving vehicles. They included limb fractures, bullet wounds, and breathing difficulties from teargas.” 

In the wake of this violence, Yousef Abdallah Adam, a 35-year-old painter, and decorator who leads a pro-democracy “resistance committee” in south Khartoum, is scared like many other civilians. He told The Guardian, “In the last few days, they have increased the arrests. Two from our [resistance] committee were taken at the weekend. There have been lots of other people taken. We are keeping a low profile these days.”

The dire situation in Sudan requires intervention, whether it be from international governance like the UN or other world powers like the United States. Most citizens of the world are not even aware of the protests in Sudan, let alone are reaching out to help. The injustice faced by the Sudanese must be highlighted, and leaders must work together in order to keep the death toll as low as possible. 

The suffering of this northeastern African state did not happen out of a vacuum. Sudan was plagued by multiple civil wars since gaining independence from Great Britain. Foreign intervention had also played a role; due to its location in the horn of Africa, straddling the Nile River, Sudan’s geopolitical importance is undeniable. Throughout the Cold War, Sudan underwent many large arms transfers and multiple interventions by the U.S. and Russia, aggravating existing class, ethnic and religious tensions. The many subsequent armed conflicts in Sudan are not a coincidence. 

As fights for democracy rage across the world, the one in Sudan must be provided equal attention. If not, the lives of current and future generations of Sudanese are at risk, and dangerous precedents regarding the dominance of military powers are set.