Al-Bashir is known for showing no mercy toward his opponents. He ordered summary executions of 28 army officers a few hours after the failed coup attempt in April 1990. His rule has also been marked by the worst forms of abuse against political detainees in ghost houses.

The fact that al-Bashir has been deposed will again raise questions about whether there’s a possibility of seeing the former Sudanese president facing trial at the ICC. Commentators have already expressed different opinions on whether he will or won’t end up facing trial at The Hague. Views either highlight the fact that he’s likely to face trial because he no longer enjoys the privileges associated with his position. Or that he still has influence over the new government and, as such, bringing him to The Hague would be extremely complicated.

But whatever happens, the protesters have persevered, united by a common goal and guided by nationalist songs of freedom – songs that will ultimately be etched in Sudan’s history records.

Ibn Ouf was appointed on the same day that al-Bashir declared a state of emergency, dissolved the federal and state governments and appointed military governors. Ibn Ouf has repeatedly confirmed his support for al-Bashir in several meetings with senior military personnel since January, stressing that the army will not allow the country to slip into chaos.

The years of egotistical tactics, corruption, injustice and systematic violence against civilians are ending. The people have spoken and unmasked the tyrants of dogma. They cannot hide anymore. The Sudanese youth are chanting: We denounce the religious brokers. Let it fall. It is already falling apart, and the Sudanese are well prepared to claim their country back.

Despite this growth, education in Sudan faces many challenges, most prominent of which is the high number of dropouts. Although the current constitution provides that the state will guarantee free and mandatory primary education, statistics indicate that only 76 percent of primary school-aged children go to school and 28 percent of secondary school-aged children do. According to information published in 2007, the illiteracy rate in Sudan was 50 percent among women and 30 percent among men. However, last year, the government announced that overall illiteracy had dropped to 24 percent.

The sudden return of Gosh, who has a fearsome reputation for cruelty, triggered widespread speculation about the country’s political future and President Omar al-Bashir’s motives for seeking the old guard’s assistance again. However, it seems that Gosh has been preparing for such a day. He has never shown any bitterness about being imprisoned. He even thanked al-Bashir at the time for issuing a presidential pardon that secured his release in 2013, stressing that he would remain loyal to the ruling party.

It appears that the EU has financed Sudan’s repressive security services indirectly. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, which receives a good portion of the money from the EU to combat smugglers and traffickers, has admitted to providing motorbikes to Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS). The NSS is known for hunting down Sudanese political suspects both in and outside the country.

The demonstrations broke out in late January 2018, following the government’s announcement of the new budget in December 2017. The demonstrations did not pose a serious threat to the regime, but they sent a clear message that the Sudanese people’s patience with the economic crisis has ended.

Anxious reactions to the handover of Sawakin came as no surprise to anyone, given the current regional tensions. The war in Yemen on the east coast of the Red Sea has been ongoing for three years, with no end in sight. Turkey’s manoeuvering, which is at odds with many of its powerful neighbours, notably Saudi Arabia, has been interpreted as a threat to their position.