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AFP
Khartoum
Anti-government protests that have rocked Sudan have left 22 people dead, authorities said Thursday, after three demonstrators died hours after thousands cheered for President Omar al-Bashir at a rival rally in Khartoum.
Wednesday’s competing rallies in the capital followed weeks of angry street protests over a government decision to triple the price of bread at a time when the country faces an acute shortage of foreign currency and soaring inflation.
Hundreds of protesters who have repeatedly called on Bashir to step down marched in the capital’s twin city of Omdurman chanting “freedom, peace, justice” and “revolution is the people’s choice”.
But they were quickly confronted with tear gas fired by riot police. Videos posted on social media that could not be independently verified showed some demonstrators pelting police officers with rocks. On Thursday, police confirmed that three protesters had died in the Omdurman demonstration but did not specify the cause of death.
“An illegal gathering was held in Omdurman and police dispersed it with tear gas,” police spokesman Hashim Abdelrahim said in a statement.
Khartoum
Anti-government protests that have rocked Sudan have left 22 people dead, authorities said Thursday, after three demonstrators died hours after thousands cheered for President Omar al-Bashir at a rival rally in Khartoum.
Wednesday’s competing rallies in the capital followed weeks of angry street protests over a government decision to triple the price of bread at a time when the country faces an acute shortage of foreign currency and soaring inflation.
Hundreds of protesters who have repeatedly called on Bashir to step down marched in the capital’s twin city of Omdurman chanting “freedom, peace, justice” and “revolution is the people’s choice”.
But they were quickly confronted with tear gas fired by riot police. Videos posted on social media that could not be independently verified showed some demonstrators pelting police officers with rocks. On Thursday, police confirmed that three protesters had died in the Omdurman demonstration but did not specify the cause of death.
“An illegal gathering was held in Omdurman and police dispersed it with tear gas,” police spokesman Hashim Abdelrahim said in a statement.
