Sudan: Two occupants of rickshaw killed at soldier-manned checkpoint during covid-19 curfew

The Sudanese army Sunday said a soldier killed Saturday two occupants of a tuk-tuk that sped through a military checkpoint in Khartoum during a coronavirus curfew.

“A speeding motorized rickshaw drove through a military checkpoint in Khartoum without stopping… at 9:00 pm” on Saturday evening, army spokesman Brigadier Amer Mohamed al-Hassan said in a brief statement.
“As they ignored instructions to stop, a soldier opened fire, injuring those aboard.”

The injured died later in the hospital, al-Hassan said.

The army’s account of the fatal incident, which took place in Abu Hamama, south of the capital, conflicts with social media comments saying the second victim was a man sitting outside of his house.

The incident sparked uproar in the capital forcing the army to apologize for the killing. The soldier is in detention pending an investigation.

Sudan imposed a curfew in capital Khartoum on April 18 amid state emergency over the novel covid-19.

The country has reported 2,289 cases including 97 fatalities.