By John Ikani
Several Sudanese political figures arrested since a coup last month have been released from detention after beginning a hunger strike.
An army takeover on October 25 halted a power sharing deal between the military and civilians from the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) alliance, and a number of Ministers and top civilian officials were detained.
Some civilian figures have been released since the military struck a deal on November 21 with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, freeing him from house arrest and reinstating him. The deal provided for the release of all political detainees.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the country’s information ministry, the released politicians include Sudan’s former Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Khalid Omer Yousif.
Yousif and others had began the hunger strike, according to the Sudanese Congress Party, to protest their continued detention despite the signing of a deal between military leaders and civilian PM Hamdok which provided for the release of all civilian detainees.
Also released on Saturday, were former Khartoum State Governor Ayman Nimir and anti-corruption taskforce member Maher Abouljokh.
Meanwhile protests calling for the military to exit politics and be held to account for the deaths of civilian protesters have continued since the announcement of the deal between military leaders and Hamdok.
A call has been issued for more mass rallies on Sunday.
The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said late on Friday that 63 people had been injured during the dispersal of protests on Thursday, including one by gunshot wound in the city of Bahri.
