Sudan has not calmed down since a violent military coup in late October.

Now, five people have been killed in Africa’s third-largest country, in protest against the establishment of a new government council, headed by Lieutenant General Abdel-Fattah Burhan.

As the Sudanese Medical Association said on Saturday, four people were shot dead in the capital Khartoum and the city of Omdurman. One more succumbed to the tear gas, said the association, which is close to the protest movement, ahead.

A paramedic told Reuters news agency that 29 people were injured, some of them in critical condition. “People should not stop taking to the streets. I was beaten up, but I will come back tomorrow and continue to protest,” said one of the injured protesters, who did not wish to be named.

Sudanese police said they did not use firearms during the protests. During the operation, 39 police officers were injured and several police stations were attacked by activists.

Thousands gathered for protests on Saturday after army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced the establishment of a new government council two days ago. This does not include the civilian government with which the military had shared power since 2019.

“The protesters are peaceful and demanding the restoration of democracy and civil rule that Burhan has taken away from them,” said a Khartoum activist. Burhan had earlier said that peaceful protests are allowed. Most of the gatherings broke down on Saturday night. According to eyewitnesses, however, the police fired tear gas shells and opened fire.

The military dissolved the government in late October and declared a nationwide state of emergency. Burhan has headed a transitional council. The body is made up of 14 people, including civilians. Representatives of the so-called Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), which ruled the country together with the military since 2019, are not among them.