KHARTOUM – The African Union has suspended Sudan’s membership with immediate effect, amid an upsurge of violence in the capital Khartoum killing dozens of civilians.
The AU’s Peace and Security Department said in a post on Twitter on Thursday that Sudan’s participation in all AU activities would be suspended with immediate effect – “until the effective establishment of a civilian-led transitional authority,” which it described as the only way to “exit from the current crisis”.
The pan-African body has warned of further action if power is not transferred to a civilian authority, which is also a key demand of pro-democracy protesters.
The announcement followed an emergency meeting by the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, after the security forces stormed a weeks-long sit-in outside military headquarters in the capital, Khartoum, on Monday.
At least 108 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD), while a health ministry official was quoted as saying the death toll stood at 61.
