African Union suspends Sudan over violence against protesters

The African Union (AU) has suspended Sudan days after the military launched a brutal crackdown on protesters that killed dozens of people.

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” as the only way to “exit from the current crisis”. 

The announcement followed an emergency meeting by the AU after the violent dispersal of a protest camp in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, began on Monday.

At least 108 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded, according to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors. A health ministry official was quoted as saying the death toll stood at 61.

The #AU Peace and Security Council has with immediate effect suspended the participation of the Republic of #Sudan in all #AU activities until the effective establishment of a Civilian-led Transitional Authority, as the only way to allow the Sudan to exit from the current crisis pic.twitter.com/ioBlnfnxcl

— African Union Peace (@AU_PSD) June 6, 2019

In response to the killings, AU Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat on Monday called for an “immediate and transparent investigation in order to hold all those responsible accountable”. 

The AU has met with some criticism over its response to the crisis. Political analyst Joseph Ochieno told Al Jazeera before the suspension announcement the emergency meeting was “coming rather late”. 

The doctor’s committe said 40 bodies were pulled from the Nile River on Tuesday and taken to an unknown location by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The Transitional Military Council (TMC) ruling Sudan since overthrowing al-Bashir has not commented on the allegations.

Al Jazeera is unable to independently confirm the differing tolls after its journalists were ordered not to report from the country.