![A young Sudanese girl takes part in a demonstration in Omdurman.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KGDCAIA4V3EKHN26YQIUFTDHWA.jpg?smart=true&auth=403ca84b8ac2ebb2a1cc3e76ba4293e5c990cd8a6014bbedfa0429f4e7b9c5be&width=400&height=225)
![A young Sudanese demonstrator lifts a placard as protesters take to the streets of the capital Khartoum to demand a transition to civilian rule. All photos: AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/F6G5PYVJ5DFEPIOQC7H6ZMKKSM.jpg?smart=true&auth=56219fc1046fc33bdc587f65d5fe1398240b1328915672166f96a1eab9e5d4eb&width=400&height=225)
![Hundreds of thousands took to the streets of Khartoum and cities across Sudan on Thursday to call for the country's transitional leader, Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, to step down.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QUSF42ZRB6OQZDWXTAS7KNYIYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ec98e6a1614ca2466f877e3e8a1a625b0a71cc1654c3a39d0519c66494f229dd&width=400&height=225)
![Motorists honked their horns and motorcyclists wove in and out of protesters waving the country's white, green, red and black flag.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DPNGDG7GV4VEP43X34JKCSW2TA.jpg?smart=true&auth=5a8de58658d28a212fd75c19d1c64df7e4346d64a02f2ff533e4ac9609d7eb4d&width=400&height=225)
![Thursday's marches came a day after the US warned Sudan that its support could be withdrawn if the transition to civilian rule is impeded.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JLF6VVPJSNBLSNA65WXQ6TESB4.jpg?smart=true&auth=f31f0f52b5b47f78072f9cd47b6262549c2b9e8ea9387f9f5376c41f6f77db75&width=400&height=225)
![The demonstrations were called by the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), a pro-democracy alliance that operates as the power base and political sponsor of the government led by Abdalla Hamdok.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FOZTCLQ4TSIN75LZAD7TWMYUFQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=0e77e4906fad3698dbcb5c19b000a58c15982e274383411565c0e7a891c89756&width=400&height=225)
![The FFC picked October 21 as the day of the demonstrations, commemorating the start of an uprising that toppled the six-year regime of military strongman Ibrahim Abboud in 1964.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Z453ZPKTXFYA234ZTSPJFY5A7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=feca4c9524cdf4b5adc82b0985f019df11eaa41e527886ee7d5d00defaf5afc3&width=400&height=225)
![Sudanese men wave national flags as protesters take to the streets of the capital Khartoum to demand a transition to civilian rule.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4AKOMRIHTND46RF3PQ3M4Y2BGE.jpg?smart=true&auth=392d5ce7535262960a0faf85fe5ad0f00787f8601d76e11fccc6893ea9904a27&width=400&height=225)
![Sudanese demonstrators march in the streets of Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, to demand a transition to civilian rule.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KDLS3D3SLVT6JYMZWAMER27UBU.jpg?smart=true&auth=8ccfdac40663994de7c9bc181fd9d049fb5e6f20c4d082fc2032edf7b0c5f915&width=400&height=225)
![Sudanese demonstrators take part in a protest in the city of Khartoum Bahri, the northern twin city of the capital, to demand a transition to civilian rule.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CMRIPQ6PVZER2URFKFPPTEJPGY.jpg?smart=true&auth=a41d76042377d43e6fd402b3dda9d38cd8776621e3f4285e5b1dbccbf4306809&width=400&height=225)
![Sudanese demonstrators raise national flags as they take part in a protest in the city of Khartoum Bahri.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JOTNDYU3ALN3DXTDGVLXO2BGNU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d3981e044dfbec936b3f9b36d6e4b836c3fb76af1efa270d7e30cfffdaebf422&width=400&height=225)
![A Sudanese woman takes part in a protest in the city of Khartoum Bahri.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OT3MSANXKS7I2K2SRM2XU5CFAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=00b9b7e5c2b4a65346842a5b754a5a6021b2f599c8251ee818d089f74c93e5f5&width=400&height=225)
![Sudanese demonstrators take to the streets of Omdurman, calling for a transition to civilian rule.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OTWACGZP6OFV6LWQ6GEFY2HBPY.jpg?smart=true&auth=bbea87ee35bd8f16bb18b9534ccd19c80f1172289b21ea6c3ec8009979afa9fa&width=400&height=225)
![A young Sudanese girl takes part in a demonstration in Omdurman.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KGDCAIA4V3EKHN26YQIUFTDHWA.jpg?smart=true&auth=403ca84b8ac2ebb2a1cc3e76ba4293e5c990cd8a6014bbedfa0429f4e7b9c5be&width=400&height=225)
![A young Sudanese demonstrator lifts a placard as protesters take to the streets of the capital Khartoum to demand a transition to civilian rule. All photos: AFP](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/F6G5PYVJ5DFEPIOQC7H6ZMKKSM.jpg?smart=true&auth=56219fc1046fc33bdc587f65d5fe1398240b1328915672166f96a1eab9e5d4eb&width=400&height=225)
![Hundreds of thousands took to the streets of Khartoum and cities across Sudan on Thursday to call for the country's transitional leader, Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, to step down.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QUSF42ZRB6OQZDWXTAS7KNYIYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ec98e6a1614ca2466f877e3e8a1a625b0a71cc1654c3a39d0519c66494f229dd&width=400&height=225)
![Motorists honked their horns and motorcyclists wove in and out of protesters waving the country's white, green, red and black flag.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DPNGDG7GV4VEP43X34JKCSW2TA.jpg?smart=true&auth=5a8de58658d28a212fd75c19d1c64df7e4346d64a02f2ff533e4ac9609d7eb4d&width=400&height=225)
![Thursday's marches came a day after the US warned Sudan that its support could be withdrawn if the transition to civilian rule is impeded.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JLF6VVPJSNBLSNA65WXQ6TESB4.jpg?smart=true&auth=f31f0f52b5b47f78072f9cd47b6262549c2b9e8ea9387f9f5376c41f6f77db75&width=400&height=225)
![The demonstrations were called by the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), a pro-democracy alliance that operates as the power base and political sponsor of the government led by Abdalla Hamdok.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FOZTCLQ4TSIN75LZAD7TWMYUFQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=0e77e4906fad3698dbcb5c19b000a58c15982e274383411565c0e7a891c89756&width=400&height=225)
![The FFC picked October 21 as the day of the demonstrations, commemorating the start of an uprising that toppled the six-year regime of military strongman Ibrahim Abboud in 1964.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Z453ZPKTXFYA234ZTSPJFY5A7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=feca4c9524cdf4b5adc82b0985f019df11eaa41e527886ee7d5d00defaf5afc3&width=400&height=225)
![Sudanese men wave national flags as protesters take to the streets of the capital Khartoum to demand a transition to civilian rule.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4AKOMRIHTND46RF3PQ3M4Y2BGE.jpg?smart=true&auth=392d5ce7535262960a0faf85fe5ad0f00787f8601d76e11fccc6893ea9904a27&width=400&height=225)
![Sudanese demonstrators march in the streets of Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, to demand a transition to civilian rule.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KDLS3D3SLVT6JYMZWAMER27UBU.jpg?smart=true&auth=8ccfdac40663994de7c9bc181fd9d049fb5e6f20c4d082fc2032edf7b0c5f915&width=400&height=225)
![Sudanese demonstrators take part in a protest in the city of Khartoum Bahri, the northern twin city of the capital, to demand a transition to civilian rule.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CMRIPQ6PVZER2URFKFPPTEJPGY.jpg?smart=true&auth=a41d76042377d43e6fd402b3dda9d38cd8776621e3f4285e5b1dbccbf4306809&width=400&height=225)
![Sudanese demonstrators raise national flags as they take part in a protest in the city of Khartoum Bahri.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JOTNDYU3ALN3DXTDGVLXO2BGNU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d3981e044dfbec936b3f9b36d6e4b836c3fb76af1efa270d7e30cfffdaebf422&width=400&height=225)
![A Sudanese woman takes part in a protest in the city of Khartoum Bahri.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OT3MSANXKS7I2K2SRM2XU5CFAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=00b9b7e5c2b4a65346842a5b754a5a6021b2f599c8251ee818d089f74c93e5f5&width=400&height=225)
![Sudanese demonstrators take to the streets of Omdurman, calling for a transition to civilian rule.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OTWACGZP6OFV6LWQ6GEFY2HBPY.jpg?smart=true&auth=bbea87ee35bd8f16bb18b9534ccd19c80f1172289b21ea6c3ec8009979afa9fa&width=400&height=225)
![A young Sudanese girl takes part in a demonstration in Omdurman.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KGDCAIA4V3EKHN26YQIUFTDHWA.jpg?smart=true&auth=403ca84b8ac2ebb2a1cc3e76ba4293e5c990cd8a6014bbedfa0429f4e7b9c5be&width=400&height=225)
Sudan protesters take to streets in hundreds of thousands to back civilian-led government
US warned nation it would remove backing if democratic transition is derailed
![Hamza Hendawi](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2Fd19fdbcc-f962-44d4-8282-3338a0550c7e.png?smart=true&auth=4d21e32ab7cc6f3efcb0a50da2b489234eb013c147f5b8108cb74285962fe0f3&width=70&height=70)
Hamza Hendawi
October 21, 2021
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October 21, 2021