thatonlyaround 60 peoplewerekilledinthearmy
operations.Inthefollowingdays,therewerereportsof
bodiesbeingfishedoutof theNile,whichflowsthrough
Khartoum,thecapital.Accordingto oppositionsources,
manyof thecivilianskilledweredumpedintheriverby
thebattle-hardenedparamilitaryRapidSupport Forces
(RSF), whichwerebroughtintothecapitalbythearmy
fromDarfurandotherpartsof Sudan.THEBRUTALCRACKDOWNBYTHESUDANESE
armyonthepeacefulprotesterswhohavebeencamping
outsidethearmyheadquarterssinceAprilhasfurther
exacerbatedthepoliticalcrisiswrackingthecountry.
Accordingtotheopposition,theAllianceforFreedom
andChange,morethanahundredprotesterswerekilled
assoldiersandparamilitaryforceswentonashooting
spreeonJune3. TheSudaneseHealthMinistryclaimed
MOHAMEDEL-SHAHED/AFPELUSIVE
SPRING
The interimmilitarycouncilin Sudan,whichseizedpowerin a
coupoverthrowingPresidentOmaral-Bashirin April,cracks
downon peacefulpro-democracyprotestersin Khartoum
who weredemandingthe promisedcivilianrule,leavingat
least100 dead.BYJOHN CHERIAN
WORLD AFFAIRS
SUDANESEPROTESTERS
listento speechesduringa
sit-inoutsidethe military
headquartersin Khartoum
on May 15.