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Sudan protests: Police fire tear gas as violence spreads | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Police in Sudan have fired tear gas at protesters as part of violent anti-government protests that have spread across the country. | |
Hundreds of demonstrators blocked a road near a football stadium in the capital, Khartoum, on Sunday before clashing with riot police. | |
Opposition figures say 22 demonstrators have been killed since Wednesday, but officials say the figure is much lower. | |
The protests erupted after bread and fuel price rises were announced. | |
Over the past year, the cost of some goods has more than doubled, inflation has risen to nearly 70%, the value of the Sudanese pound has fallen sharply and shortages have been reported in cities including the capital Khartoum. | Over the past year, the cost of some goods has more than doubled, inflation has risen to nearly 70%, the value of the Sudanese pound has fallen sharply and shortages have been reported in cities including the capital Khartoum. |
A group of doctors has also said that its members will go on strike from Monday to increase pressure on President Omar al-Bashir. | |
What is the latest? | What is the latest? |
Sunday's clashes happened as crowds of people spilled out of a football match in Khartoum. | |
They blocked roads and chanted anti-government slogans before riot police fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse them. | |
Earlier, footage on social media appeared to show continuing protests in a number of areas. | |
The Central Sudanese Committee of Doctors said its members had seen protesters in hospitals with gunshot wounds and said there had been a number of deaths and injuries. | The Central Sudanese Committee of Doctors said its members had seen protesters in hospitals with gunshot wounds and said there had been a number of deaths and injuries. |
On Saturday the authorities arrested 14 leaders of the National Consensus Forces, an opposition coalition, including the grouping's 85-year-old leader Farouk Abu Issa, a spokesman said. | On Saturday the authorities arrested 14 leaders of the National Consensus Forces, an opposition coalition, including the grouping's 85-year-old leader Farouk Abu Issa, a spokesman said. |
"We demand their immediate release, and their arrest is an attempt by the regime to stop the street movements," spokesman Sadiq Youssef said. | "We demand their immediate release, and their arrest is an attempt by the regime to stop the street movements," spokesman Sadiq Youssef said. |
What is the opposition saying? | What is the opposition saying? |
On Saturday Sadiq al-Mahdi, leader of the main opposition Umma party, condemned "armed repression" and said the protests were fuelled by the "deteriorating situation" in the country. | On Saturday Sadiq al-Mahdi, leader of the main opposition Umma party, condemned "armed repression" and said the protests were fuelled by the "deteriorating situation" in the country. |
He also called for Mr Bashir's government to agree a peaceful transfer of power or face a confrontation with the Sudanese people. | He also called for Mr Bashir's government to agree a peaceful transfer of power or face a confrontation with the Sudanese people. |
"It will be a losing confrontation for the regime, as it will increase its failures and closes its horizons," the Paris-based Sudan Tribune website quoted him as saying. | "It will be a losing confrontation for the regime, as it will increase its failures and closes its horizons," the Paris-based Sudan Tribune website quoted him as saying. |
Mr Mahdi - who was was prime minister from 1966 to 1967 and again from 1986 to 1989 - returned from almost a year in exile on Wednesday. | Mr Mahdi - who was was prime minister from 1966 to 1967 and again from 1986 to 1989 - returned from almost a year in exile on Wednesday. |
His government was the last to be democratically elected in the country and was toppled in a 1989 coup launched by Mr al-Bashir, who has since been accused of organising war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan's western region of Darfur by the International Criminal Court. | His government was the last to be democratically elected in the country and was toppled in a 1989 coup launched by Mr al-Bashir, who has since been accused of organising war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan's western region of Darfur by the International Criminal Court. |
How did the protests begin? | How did the protests begin? |
They started in the eastern town of Atbara, where demonstrators burned the offices of Mr Bashir's National Congress party. | They started in the eastern town of Atbara, where demonstrators burned the offices of Mr Bashir's National Congress party. |
Witnesses said that in some areas the military was not intervening and even appeared to be siding with the demonstrators. | Witnesses said that in some areas the military was not intervening and even appeared to be siding with the demonstrators. |
A presidential adviser, Faisal Hassan Ibrahim, said two of those killed in al-Qadarif were soldiers in civilian clothes. He said the protests were being directed by "organised entities", without giving further details. | A presidential adviser, Faisal Hassan Ibrahim, said two of those killed in al-Qadarif were soldiers in civilian clothes. He said the protests were being directed by "organised entities", without giving further details. |
Demonstrations spread to Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman as well as other areas. | Demonstrations spread to Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman as well as other areas. |
On Saturday AFP quoted witnesses as saying police used tear gas and beat protesters calling for Mr Bashir to step down in Wad Madani, south-east of Khartoum. | On Saturday AFP quoted witnesses as saying police used tear gas and beat protesters calling for Mr Bashir to step down in Wad Madani, south-east of Khartoum. |
In El Rahad, south-west of Khartoum, the NCP office and other administrative offices were set ablaze and protesters chanting "no to hunger" were tear-gassed, another witness said. | In El Rahad, south-west of Khartoum, the NCP office and other administrative offices were set ablaze and protesters chanting "no to hunger" were tear-gassed, another witness said. |
Why is Sudan's economy in trouble? | Why is Sudan's economy in trouble? |
Mr Bashir was accused of sponsoring terrorism by the US in the 1990s and Sudan was placed under a trade embargo. | Mr Bashir was accused of sponsoring terrorism by the US in the 1990s and Sudan was placed under a trade embargo. |
In 2011 South Sudan seceded from Sudan, taking with it three-quarters of the country's oil resources. That followed civil war that cost the lives of 1.5 million people. | In 2011 South Sudan seceded from Sudan, taking with it three-quarters of the country's oil resources. That followed civil war that cost the lives of 1.5 million people. |
Meanwhile a continuing conflict in the western region of Darfur has driven two million people from their homes and killed more than 200,000. | Meanwhile a continuing conflict in the western region of Darfur has driven two million people from their homes and killed more than 200,000. |
US sanctions were lifted in 2017 but there has been little improvement in the country's economy since. | |