“There’s only one road to power and that is through the ballot box. The Sudanese people will decide in 2020 who will govern them,” President Bashir is quoted as saying at the rally in Niyala, the capital of South Darfur state.

Protests continue to rock different parts of the country calling for his resignation after thirty years in power. This is not the first time Bashir is flatly refusing to be bogged by the rolling protests.

Whiles security forces have given protection to pro-government rallies, most anti-government protesters have been met with a wave of arrests and tear gas.

The president also reportedly thank neighbouring countries that he said were supporting the regime’s efforts to stabilize the country. He thanked South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Niger.

The South Sudan government has publicly said it supported the Al-Bashir government in the wake of protests.

Bashir has in a previous rally in the capital Khartoum, thanked other allies, amongst them: Egypt, Qatar, China and Russia. He has routinely dismissed other countries he says are propping up protesters.

January 13, 2019: Security ‘ambush’ protest plans

Security forces have been deployed in the town of Bahri, located north of the capital Khartoum, as at Sunday (January 13). Protests were called for Bahri and other towns.

The deployments are a sign of government’s move to avoid the protests from taking place. The same tactic has been used as security forces thwart protest plans.

Despite security deployments, hundreds have taken to the streets in anti-government protests that have been met with a wave of arrests according to journalists covering the incident.

Protests are taking place in Bahri and towns like Al-Fao, Al-Fasher, Amri and Gadarif. There are running battles as the military tries using tear gas to disperse people.